Mixed prices for commodities

Crude oil prices fluctuated Tuesday, turning lower in New York to trade down 73 cents to $70.85 per barrel for September contracts for West Texas Intermediate less than half an hour before the close of floor trade ended on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but at last report Brent crude had added 52 cents to $74.07 per barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange in London.

Nymex September gasoline futures dropped 1 cent to $2.06 per gallon in afternoon trade, but September heating oil added 2 cents to $1.89 per gallon.

September natural gas futures dropped 3 cents to $4 per million British thermal units in New York trade.

London Metal Exchange stockpiles of copper were up 1.3 percent to 285,900 tonnes for a third straight day of gains, sending three-month copper down half a percent to $5,969.50 per tonne in afternoon trade in London after it went as high as $6,070 per tonne earlier, but by the close of trade in New York, September copper was up 6 cents per pound to $2.80 per pound.

Zinc and tin were lower in afternoon trade in London on higher inventories, while lead and aluminium were also lower, but nickel saw gains on supply disruptions.

Among precious metals, platinum and palladium were up on demand hopes after Ford Motor (NYSE: F) reported that its sales rose in July over last year’s levels, the first gain in for the auto maker in nearly two years.

October platinum added $37.10 to $1,276.80 per troy ounce, while earlier September platinum was up $2.15 to $276.75 per troy ounce in morning trade in New York.

Gold and silver were also higher in New York as December gold added $10.90 to $969.70 per troy ounce and September silver was up 44 cents to $14.70 per troy ounce, also in morning trade.

Grains prices fell in afternoon trade in Chicago, with September corn down 3 cents to $3.54 per bushel while September wheat fell 7 cents to $5.42 per bushel and August soybeans dropped 9 cents to $11.64 per bushel.

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