20120913 1646 Global Markets & Commodities Related News.

GLOBAL MARKETS: Asian shares were little changed and European equities looked set to open flat after setting 14-month highs in the previous session, with investors awaiting a policy decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve that could include more stimulus measures. Wall Street ended little changed on Wednesday. (Reuters)

FOREX: The euro held near a four-month high after Germany's Constitutional Court gave the green light for Berlin to ratify the euro zone's permanent rescue fund, looking to extend gains further on possible stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve. (Reuters)

FOREX-Euro steadies near 4-month peak after German ruling
TOKYO, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The euro held near a four-month high on Thursday after Germany's Constitutional Court gave the green light for Berlin to ratify the euro zone's permanent rescue fund, looking to extend gains further on possible stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve.    
"If the Fed avoids major easing steps, the euro could fall. Still, considering that the euro's rally has been driven by short-covering rather than build-up of new positions, downside for the euro may be limited," said Koichi Takamatsu, head of forex at Nomura Securities.

Fed seen launching fresh stimulus, details in question(Reuters)
The U.S. Federal Reserve appears set to launch a third round of unconventional monetary stimulus on Thursday while signaling that a weak U.S. economy may warrant ultra-low interest rates for at least another three years.

German court removes hurdle to euro zone bailout fund(Reuters)
Germany's Constitutional Court gave a green light on Wednesday for the country to ratify Europe's new bailout fund, boosting hopes that the single currency bloc is finally putting in place the tools to resolve its three-year old debt crisis.

China 2013 corn imports seen at 1 mln T, down sharply -CNGOIC(Reuters)
China's corn imports in 2013 may plunge more than 80 percent from this year's estimated purchases due to surging global prices, government think tank China National Grain and Oils Information Center said on Thursday.

GRAINS: Chicago corn fell for a fourth consecutive session, pressured by a lower-than-expected reduction in estimates for yields and buffer stocks in a U.S. government report. (Reuters)

OIL: Brent crude steadied near $116 a barrel, after rising for five straight sessions, as traders awaited a U.S. Federal Reserve policy decision that is expected to include further stimulus action to bolster the world's largest economy. (Reuters)

U.S. crude stocks rise as imports jump-EIA(Reuters)
U.S. crude oil stockpiles rose last week, with imports jumping and oil product stocks were mixed as refineries reduced utilization rates, government data showed on Wednesday

S.Africa mine protests hit top world platinum firm(Reuters)
Machete-wielding strikers forced top world platinum producer Anglo American Platinum to shut down some of its South African operations on Wednesday, widening the labour unrest sweeping through the country's mining industry.

Copper and iron ore; mirror, mirror...?
--Andy Home is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own--
LONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Copper and iron ore have ripped higher since China's National Development and Reform Commission announced last Friday the fast-tracking of a trillion yuan's ($157 billion) worth of infrastructure projects.
On the London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month copper  has jumped by almost 6 percent from its Thursday close to a four-month high of $8,158 per tonne this morning.

China orders for aluminium products, metal purchases rise
HONG KONG, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Aluminium profile manufacturers in Guangdong have reported a rise in orders this month, after seeing their order books decline over the past 3-4 months, which analysts and industry sources are pointing to as a sign of recovering demand in China.
The southern Chinese province is a major production base for aluminium profiles used in the construction sector, which is the biggest consumer of aluminium in China, the world's top consumer and producer of the metal.

BASE METALS: London copper was steady, holding near a four-month high hit in the previous session, as traders awaited a key U.S. Federal Reserve policy decision that is expected to include further stimulus action to boost the world's largest economy. (Reuters)

PRECIOUS METALS: Gold was little changed with investors awaiting a key Federal Reserve policy decision that may come a day after a German court ruling in favour of a euro zone rescue fund sent bullion to its highest since the end of February. (Reuters)

METALS-LME copper eases, still near 4-mth peak ahead of Fed decision
SHANGHAI, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Copper edged lower on Thursday, but held near a four-month high hit in the previous session, as traders awaited a key U.S. Federal Reserve policy decision that is expected to include further stimulus action to boost the world's largest economy.
"Some longs prefer to take profit ahead of the (Fed) meeting since they've already made money on their positions and because there is always a chance that the Fed won't start another round of quantitative easing - even if many people expect it," said a Shanghai-based trader with an international firm.

PRECIOUS-Gold steady ahead of Fed; gold-platinum premium narrows
SINGAPORE, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Gold was little changed on  Thursday with investors awaiting a key Federal Reserve policy  decision, a day after a German court ruling in favour of a euro  zone rescue fund sent bullion to its highest since the end of  February.
"If we do see a QE3 announcement, gold is likely to race  through $1,800 an ounce," said Chen Min, an analyst at Jinrui  Futures in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.