Tin and platinum catch on in the hard-assets play

People searching for a sale investment sent the prices of tin and platinum to record highs on the London metal markets Wednesday. But gold, which attracted so much attention earlier this year, was nowhere hear its record levels, although trading at a price slightly firmer than on Tuesday.

Tin reached $18,370 a ton for delivery in three months. Although $220 higher than Tuesday's record level, the price later fell slightly to $18,326. Platinum was trading between $1,035 and $1,045 an ounce compared with Tuesday's peak of $ 960."Perhaps people have become a little bored with gold," an experienced market observer in London said.