London Metal Exchange (LME) metals pared earlier losses by 1600 GMT on Thursday after a series of explosions across London's transport network. "There is a very sombre attitude. There was a lot of panic liquidation at the outset, but prices have recovered most of those early losses," one trader said.
Many traders left early to try and make their way home as bus and underground railway services had been crippled.
The LME, the world's largest non-ferrous metals trading market, cancelled its open outcry rings on Thursday and instead relied on its electronic system, LME Select.
The London Clearing House, LCH.Clearnet, was evacuated and operations have resumed at an alternative site after the explosions.
LCH clears stock markets, commodities and energy trades.
"We have been in touch with the LCH and the FSA (Financial Services Authority), who have fallen back to their (alternative) site," LME chief executive Simon Heale said in an email.
At 1600 GMT three months LME copper was quoted at $3,314/18 a tonne, down $8 from Wednesday's PM kerb close.
Prices dropped to $3,260 in the aftermath of the explosions.
Market concerns were heightened on Wednesday after US miner Asarco said all its 1,500 unionised workers were now on strike at its Mission and Silver Bell mines in Arizona and its refinery in Amarillo, Texas.
World copper stocks are around 31-year lows and supply concerns have been deepened by the strike at Placer Dome's Zaldivar mine in Chile.
Aluminium was at $1,731/34, down $6, while nickel was at $14,600/650, down $50.
Zinc fell to $1,208/12, down $12, while lead was down $6 at $871/76.
Tin was at $7,125/175.
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