US copper futures fell to a new 7-1/2-month low early Tuesday as ongoing strength in the dollar continued to fuel the market's downside momentum, with traders expecting a test of $3 a lb this week. Copper for December delivery was trading 4.00 cents lower at $3.0530 a lb by 10:17 am EDT (1417 GMT) on the New York Mercantile Exchange's Comex division.
The range was from $3.13 to $3.0480, the contract's lowest price point since January 23. Spot September was down 3.70 cents at $3.0720. Comex estimated futures volumes at 5,602 lots by 9 am.