London copper jumped 2.7 percent on Tuesday as investors picked bargains after the previous session's sell-off, but technical pointers suggest fresh weakness and sentiment on the fundamental side was also brittle. Shanghai metals failed to keep up with the rebound on the London Metal Exchange with copper and aluminium turning mostly flat after LME-fuelled declines earlier in the day, while zinc cut losses after sliding more than 5 percent.
Shanghai's benchmark third-month copper closed up 140 yuan to 53,730 yuan ($7,870) a tonne, and aluminium added 50 yuan to 15,225 yuan. Shanghai zinc eased 2.6 percent to 15,700 yuan at the close.