Copper futures settled higher on Friday on optimism over policy support in the world’s top metal consumer China ahead of next week's Third Plenum, a major Chinese political meeting. Copper prices strengthened further by a weaker American currency and as weak US jobs data spurred the view that the US central bank could begin cutting interest rates in September.
Copper futures for September delivery gained $0.1185 to settle at $4.6520 a pound on the Comex metals division of New York Mercantile Exchange. Copper on the London Metal Exchange was up by 0.62 percent at $9,944 a ton.