Sterlite Buys Asarco’s U.S. Copper Mines; Petrobras Award Tupi Rig Contracts; Russian Inflation to Hit 14% in 2008; South Korean Economy Outpaces Estimates; Toyota Sees U.S. Consumers Braking; Manufacturing Inches Up; NetSuite Snaps Up OpenAir

The base metals were all in the red on Wednesday. Copper couldn’t hold on to Tuesday’s gains, as it fell in fits and starts through the day, finishing at $3.8915/lb., down 4 cents.