Copper prices reversed earlier gains to fall almost 1 percent on Friday, after data showed the US economy shed 131,000 jobs in July, roughly double the losses economists had expected. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange closed at $7,370 a tonne from $7,400 a tonne at Thursday's close. The metal used in power and construction hit a low at $7,335.
US employment fell for a second straight month in July as more temporary census jobs ended, while private hiring rose less than expected, pointing to an anaemic economic recovery.
"The run-up that we have seen in prices over the past couple of weeks has been very much based on improved perceptions for the economic outlook," said Gayle Berry, analyst at Barclays Capital. "So it was always going to be vulnerable to any setbacks in the macro data flow - today illustrates that." Earlier this week, copper breached $7,500 a tonne to hit levels last seen late in April. Also in the spotlight is news that Chile's Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, expects China's copper demand to grow at 8 percent this year from last year, and at a similar pace next year.
China accounts for more than 30 percent of global copper consumption, estimated this year at around 19 million tonnes. "I don't think anybody thinks the slowdown in China is going to last for too long," said Dan Smith, analyst at Standard Chartered. "We've had a good run up, it wouldn't surprise me to see some consolidation after those gains."
Copper prices are up about 13 percent this quarter, when fears of sovereign default in the euro zone because of the debt crisis started to recede. Aluminium stocks also continued their descent. They stand at about 4.4 million tonnes from a record above 4.6 million tonnes in January. The metal used in transport and packaging has been bolstered by financing deals, which are said to have tied up about 70 percent of LME stocks.
Three-month aluminium was untraded at the close but last bid at $2,190 a tonne from $2,203 on Thursday and zinc, used to galvanise steel, ended at $2,129 from $2,097. Zinc earlier hit a $2,143, its highest since May 14.
Zinc cancelled warrants - material earmarked to leave LME warehouses - stood at more than 10 percent of total zinc stocks on Thursday compared with a level around 3 percent previously. Most of those cancelled warrants are in New Orleans and some traders think the material could be heading for Europe where premiums for physical have risen about 5 percent so far this quarter.
Stainless steel ingredient nickel touched $22,280 a tonne, its highest since May 24. It closed at $22,075 a tonne from $21,860 on Thursday. News that miner Lonmin Plc had been ordered by the South African government to stop selling nickel, copper and other offshoots of its platinum production due to a dispute over the prospecting rights helped push up prices, traders said. Tin was untraded but last bid at $20,725 a tonne from $20,475 and battery material lead ended at $2,165 from $2,185. Used in electrical solder, tin earlier touched a fresh two year high at $20,900.