Copper futures ended lower on Thursday as the US dollar strengthened overnight after hawkish comments from some US Fed officials urged policymakers to act quickly to slow down asset purchases. However, strong demand from world’s top metal consumer China and steep decline in inventories available in the London Metal Exchange warehouse system capped further fall in copper prices.
Copper futures for September delivery lost $0.0200 to settle at $4.2475 a pound on the Comex metals division of New York Mercantile Exchange. Copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.6 percent at $9,299.50 a ton.