Copper futures ended lower on Friday due to concerns over global economic growth and metal demand following identification of a new and possibly vaccine-resistant coronavirus variant in South Africa with higher infection rate. Further, expectations of interest rate hikes in 2022 also weighed on investor sentiments.
Copper futures for December delivery lost $0.1755 to settle at $4.2835 a pound on the Comex metals division of New York Mercantile Exchange. Copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 3.48 percent at $9,460 a ton.