The base metals were mixed on Thursday. Copper went on a wild ride, rising and falling sharply through a 10-cent range before settling little changed at $1.8571/lb., down just a penny.

The base metals had a uniformly terrible day Thursday, as spot prices for copper, nickel, zinc, aluminum, and lead all tumbled. Copper dropped quickly throughout the day’s trading and finished down 6 cents, at $3.6968/lb, despite a mid-morning rally. This represented a six-week low in copper prices.

Outside of nickel, the base metals were all on fire on Friday. Copper rose straight from the pre-dawn hours until the late morning, only then coming off its intraday highs to finish at $3.866/lb., up nearly 8 cents.

The base metals were mostly higher on Tuesday. Copper pushed higher in the pre-dawn hours, but then dropped in New York, rallying slightly at the end to finish at $3.7897/lb., down a bit less than a penny.

The base metals were all in the red on Thursday. Copper backed down for a second straight day, dropping from the pre-dawn hours to late morning, after which it recovered slightly to finish at $3.844/lb., down 4¾ cents.

The base metals were all in the red on Wednesday. Copper couldn’t hold on to Tuesday’s gains, as it fell in fits and starts through the day, finishing at $3.8915/lb., down 4 cents.

The base metals were mostly in positive territory on Tuesday. Copper revved up after the LME holiday, meandering up and down through about a 4-cent range yesterday, before settling with a nice gain at $3.9316/lb., up nearly 6 cents from Friday.

The base metals were mostly higher on Friday. Copper was down in the pre-dawn hours, but took off once New York trading began and pushed steadily higher, only retreating a little after noon to finish at $3.8731/lb., up 8 2/3 cents.

The base metals were mixed on Wednesday. Copper bottomed in the pre-dawn hours, then was up through most of the day, finishing at $3.9472/lb., up almost 2¼ cents.

The base metals were all in the red on Tuesday. Copper held up until New York opened, then dipped sharply and never regained the lost ground, finishing at $3.9253/lb., down 4¼ cents.