(Recasts, updates prices adds details)

By Pratima Desai and Maytaal Angel

LONDON, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Copper hit a one-week high on
Friday as traders focused on assurances from Federal Reserve
Chairman Ben Bernanke that steps will be taken to spur growth in
the world's largest economy.

Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange hit $7,396 a
tonne, its highest since Aug. 19. The metal used in power and
construction traded at $7,388 a tonne at 1454 GMT from $7,304.50
on Thursday.

Bernanke said the economic recovery had softened more than
expected but noted that the benefits of the U.S. central bank's
buying more longer-term securities, if needed, would outweigh
the disadvantages.

"The Fed will do anything to prevent a recession," said
Quantitative Commodity Research analyst Peter Fertig, adding he
did not expect the U.S. economy is heading for recession and
that the outlook for this quarter is fairly positive.

"The current quarter provides opportunities to hedge
exposure. Purchasing manager indices from around the world have
remained in positive territory."

Ahead of Bernanke's comments, U.S. economic growth was
revised down to a sluggish 1.6 percent annual rate in the second
quarter, dampened by the largest increase in imports in 26
years.

But St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard
assured markets by saying the Fed was not out of options to
boost growth, though any future quantitative easing measures
should be disciplined.

"There's a concern that (the U.S.) is slowing, but the Asian
economies are balancing the slowing. In Europe you're getting a
strong core picture. The U.S. is only one aspect of the
picture," said Alex Heath, head of base metals at RBC Capital
Markets.

Metal Prices at 1453 GMT
Comex copper in cents/lb, LME prices in $/T and SHFE prices in
yuan/T
Metal Last Change Percent Move End 2009
Ytd Percent

move
COMEX Cu 334.60 4.15 +1.26 334.65 -0.01
LME Alum 2036.00 33.00 +1.65 2230.00 -8.70
LME Cu 7383.00 78.50 +1.07 7375.00 0.11
LME Lead 2052.00 26.50 +1.31 2432.00 -15.63
LME Nickel 20850.00 400.00 +1.96 18525.00 12.55
LME Tin 21400.00 1050.00 +5.16 16950.00 26.25
LME Zinc 2074.00 24.00 +1.17 2560.00 -18.98
SHFE Alu 15325.00 0.00 +0.00 17160.00 -10.69
SHFE Cu* 57850.00 500.00 +0.87 59900.00 -3.42
SHFE Zin 17055.00 140.00 +0.83 21195.00 -19.53
** Benchmark month for COMEX copper
* 3rd contract month for SHFE AL, CU and ZN
SHFE ZN began trading on 26/3/07

(Editing by Jane Baird)