Copper prices fell on Wednesday to a four-month low as an intensifying trade dispute between the United States and China drove industrial metals broadly lower.
Investors fear the dispute will damage economic growth and weaken demand for metals.
Aluminium also hit its lowest since January 2017 after a Brazilian court lifted production restrictions on a major alumina plant.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was down 0.5% at $5,965.50 a tonne at 1013 GMT after reaching $5,957, the lowest since Jan 25.
The metal used in power and gas has fallen some 20% from highs in early June 2018, before the trade conflict began.
Societe Generale analyst Robin Bhar said the worsening macro-economic backdrop and trade situation were pushing metals lower, with speculative investors leading the selling.
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“Physical buyers are few and far between with all this uncertainty,” he said.
Trade war: Beijing is ready to resume trade talks with Washington, China’s ambassador to the United States said, as a top US business lobby in China said nearly half its members were seeing non-tariff barrier retaliation in China.