US copper futures opened higher early on Wednesday, buoyed by a 15-month low in the dollar against a currency basket and another strong home sales report that pointed to tentative signs of stabilisation in the sector following a three-year slump. Benchmark March copper rose 1.15 cents at $3.1550 a lb by 10:37 am EST (1537 GMT) on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division. Range from $3.1545 to $3.1905.