To: Spark who wrote (1 ) 12/30/2011 1:14:03 AM From: Max Power Respond to of 8 BASE METALS HIGHLIGHTS: Top Stories Of The Day TOP STORIES: WSJ: China Cuts Rare-Earths Export Quota, Divvies Up Metals BEIJING -( Dow Jones )- China unveiled an initial cut of 27% in its quota for rare-earth exports for next year, but said its full-year 2012 limits for the key materials used to make everything from defense systems to turbines to iPhones would likely be unchanged amid weakened demand. STORIES OF INTEREST: UPDATE: China Lowers 2012 1st Batch Export Quotas For Silver, Some Minor MetalsSHANGHAI (Dow Jones)--China Tuesday announced the first batch of 2012 export quotas for minor metals and silver, lowering the quotas for silver, ammonium meta-tungstate, tungsten trioxide, antimony ingots, tin and its products, indium and its products, and molybdenum products. UPDATE: Icahn To Drop Commercial Metals Fight If Tender Fails NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Billionaire investor Carl Icahn said he plans to abandon his minority stake in scrap-metal processor Commercial Metals Co. (CMC) if his tender offer to acquire the company is unsuccessful. MARKETS: BASE METALS: Comex Copper Rally Fades In Low Volume NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Copper's four-session rally fizzled in low trading volume on Tuesday, as investors locked in profits on the metal's gains after a set of mixed readings on the health of U.S. manufacturing sector. BASE METALS: Shanghai Copper Drifts Lower In Thin Trade SHANGHAI (Dow Jones)--Copper on the Shanghai Futures Exchange drifted lower in rangebound trade Tuesday, as investors were reluctant to take fresh positions in holiday-thinned trade. By Matt Day, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-4986; matt.day@dowjones.com