US copper futures bounced from new 3-1/2-year lows early Friday on upbeat broader market sentiment, but poor demand for the industrial metal would likely re-energise the downside next week, traders said.
Most-active copper for March delivery was trading up 3.35 cents, or 2.1 percent, at $1.6135 a lb by 10:36 am EST (1536 GMT) on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division. Early range from $1.6470 to $1.5250, a new low dating back to July 2005 on a continuation basis.
COMEX estimated volume at 5,908 lots by 9 am. Copper's early short-covering boost fuelled by strength in global equity markets and dollar weakness, said traders. "Sentiment across the complex is positive today, and you're seeing the copper up on that," said Larry Young, senior trader at Infinity Futures Inc in Chicago.