Silver demand in China and India is set to rise 40 perent in 2012

Premiums for gold traded on the US-based Comex over the London spot market halved following the news report, to around $20 an ounce.

The DRC in December filed criminal complaints accusing Apple subsidiaries of using so-called conflict minerals in their supply chain.

Copper rose as much as 1.2% in London ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

It's going to be a busy year for aluminum traders as the global market navigates multiple geopolitical storms.