US copper futures ended down on Tuesday, losing more than 6 percent at one point, as a strong dollar and persistent worries about demand destruction in a slowing economy drove the bearish sentiment. Copper for December delivery shed 10.40 cents, or 5.9 percent, to settle at $1.6480 a lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division.
COMEX estimated futures volume at 23,191 lots by 1 pm EST (1800 GMT). Final futures volume on Monday totalled 26,153 lots. COMEX copper surrenders all of its gains from Monday as euphoria surrounding the launch of a $600 billion economic stimulus package in China fades.