US copper futures jumped over 4 percent early Thursday as talk of a possible pick-up in Chinese demand drove the bullish sentiment. Copper for May delivery surged 5.90 cents, or nearly 3.3 percent, to $1.8620 a lb by 10:17 am EDT (1417 GMT) on the New York Mercantile Exchanges COMEX division.
Morning range from $1.7975 to $1.8770. On Tuesday, benchmark May contract climbed to highest level since November 5, at $1.8790. COMEX estimated futures volume at 6,174 lots by 9 am.