Sept 3 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs ( GS ) has suspended

covering zinc markets "for the moment", citing "restricted

capacity" following the departure of the sector lead earlier

this year.

Goldman's metals strategist Nicholas Snowdon has joined

Mercuria, as the energy trader seeks to expand its presence in

the sector.

Snowdon's departure from Goldman followed that of Jeff

Currie, the investment bank's former head of commodities

research, who joined private equity giant Carlyle in

February to lead energy transition analysis.

The Wall Street bank's co-head of commodities trading, Xiao

Qin, will also retire by the end of the year, according to an

internal memo seen by Reuters.