Copper Prices Slump as Rate Hike Bets Intensify
Copper prices took a hit on Monday as traders bet on the Federal Reserve hiking interest rates following hotter-than-expected US inflation data.
Futures on the London Metal Exchange fell by as much as 0.6%, marking their first weekly decline since June.
The strengthening dollar and broader pressure on risk assets also weighed on other major metal contracts, with zinc down 0.7% and aluminum flat.
Copper's premium paid for spot copper over 3-month futures narrowed to $4.50 a ton, indicating easing supply tightness.