The base metals were mostly higher on Monday. Copper moved higher, finishing at $3.5657/lb., up nearly 5 cents from Friday. Nickel also gained, closing at $9.526/lb., up 15 cents. Zinc traded spottily, ending little changed at $0.819/lb. up three-quarters of a cent.

The base metals were all off to the races on Thursday. Copper started up in the pre-dawn hours and never quit, finishing just off its intraday high at $3.5849/lb., up more than 15½ cents.

The base metals were all in positive territory on Tuesday. Copper noodled around unchanged until mid-morning, when it took off and climbed steeply, then held to finish just off its intraday high at $3.4736/lb., up nearly 10½ cents.

There’s more bad news for those of you who are worrying about the United States’ global geo-strategic position. According to a recent report, starting next year, Chinese manufacturing output will exceed that of the United States.

It was another bad day for the base metals Friday as copper, nickel, aluminum, and lead all reversed their gains of the previous day’s session and zinc continued its downward spiral. Copper was hammered all day long, ending the damage only at the closing bell. The metal finished at $3.4234/lb., down over 11 cents.