NEW YORK —  Platinum prices pushed above $2,000 an ounce for a second day Thursday, hitting a new record after another major platinum producer reported a drop in output because of a power shortage in South Africa.

Other commodities traded broadly higher, with wheat futures rebounding after days of losses and energy futures also rising.

Platinum has shot up 15 percent this month amid supply concerns fed by a South African energy shortage, which has slowed the vital mining industry and sent commodities prices spiking. The country's state-run power utility said Wednesday that the mines and other major customers will receive only 90 percent of their usual power supply until 2012 _ raising worries of significant setbacks in platinum production for years to come.

Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd., the world's second-largest platinum producer, said Thursday it has already lost 10,000 ounces in output and could lose another 10,000 ounces under the energy restrictions, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

"The outlook for platinum production isn't going so great because of the power issue in South Africa, and many of these mining companies are going to have to revise their outlooks as they work out how they're going to continue operating with a 10 percent power cut," said Carlos Sanchez, precious metals analyst with CPM Group in New York.

Platinum for April delivery surged $22.20 to settle at $2,005.90 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The metal earlier soared to $2,030.60 an ounce _ a new high. Platinum breached the $2,000 mark for the first time Wednesday.

Other precious metals traded mixed Thursday. Gold for April delivery added 60 cents to settle at $910.80 an ounce on the Nymex, while March silver lost 9.8 cents to settle at $17.255 an ounce. March copper declined 4.25 cents to settle at $3.4880 a pound.

Platinum prices have soared in recent years as automakers try to meet demand, particularly in Asia and Eastern Europe. The automotive industry consumes about 60 percent of world platinum supply to make catalytic converters in car exhaust systems.

"Platinum is a necessity for the automotive sector, so manufacturers will have to buy this platinum at these prices or any prices," Sanchez said.

In agriculture futures, wheat prices rose sharply Thursday, reversing three days of losses, as investors bet that dwindling U.S. stockpiles will feed global supply concerns.

Wheat for March delivery shot up 40.5 cents to settle at $10.32 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade, after earlier rising as high as $10.45 a bushel. Wheat hit an all-time high of $11.53 a bushel on Monday.

Other agriculture commodities also rose. March soybeans jumped 39.5 cents to settle at $13.68 a bushel on the CBOT, while March corn added 14 cents to $5.11 a bushel.

In energy markets, crude oil futures rose Thursday after the Commerce Department said the trade deficit fell in December and for 2007 as a whole _ raising hopes that strong exports will help the U.S. economy may avoid recession.

Also lifting oil prices were suggestions by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the central bank is open to more interest rate cuts.

Light, sweet crude for March delivery rose $2.19 to settle at $95.46 a barrel on the Nymex, after earlier hitting $95.60 _ a one-month high.

Other energy futures also rose. March heating oil futures added 5.1 cents to settle at $2.6666 a gallon on the Nymex while March gasoline futures rose 8.62 cents to settle at $2.4761 a gallon.

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