The base metals were mostly a bit lower on Tuesday. Copper climbed from the pre-dawn hours to mid-morning in New York, peaking north of $2.30 before falling as steeply as it rose and finishing $2.2426/lb., down a bit less than 2¼ cents.

The base metals took another bath in blood on Monday. Copper plunged from the pre-dawn hours to the New York open, rallied back to mid-morning, but then sold off again to finish just off its intraday lows at $2.2643/lb., down 8 cents.

The base metals were awash in green on Thursday. Copper was sharply higher from the late pre-dawn hours to about noon, touching $2.44, then fell off a bit to finish at $2.4098/lb., up almost 9 cents. Nickel also made a strong upmove, ending at $7.1146/lb., up 37 cents. Zinc took a big hit in late morning but then gained it all back, closing at its intraday high of $0.7644/lb., up 4 1/3 cents. Aluminum had a good day, tacking on 2¼ cents, to $0.7493/lb., while lead roared higher, adding nearly 4 cents, to $0.8073/lb.

The base metals were all red in the face on Wednesday. Copper was off in the pre-dawn hours, then traded mostly within a tight 2-cent range all day, finishing at $2.3213/lb., down just under 4½ cents.

The base metals were all well into the green on Tuesday. Copper surged, finishing at $2.3655/lb., up more than 13 cents. Nickel followed copper higher, ending at $6.75/lb., up 37 2/3 cents. Zinc was strong, closing at $0.7287/lb., up 4 1/3 cents. Aluminum had a good day, adding 3½ cents, to $0.755/lb., while lead completed the banner day, rising to $0.7854/lb., up more than 4 cents.

The base metals were mostly lower on Monday. Copper declined through the pre-dawn hours, perked up in New York but failed to escape the red, finishing at $2.2349/lb., down a penny and a half.

The base metals were mostly in negative territory on Wednesday. Copper pushed above $2.30 in the early pre-dawn hours, but fell below $2.22 by late morning, then rallied back a bit to finish at $2.2506/lb., down 2¼ cents.

The base metals were all flying high on Thursday. Copper was flat until just after the New York open, but then took off and rose nearly unbroken straight through the day to finish barely off its intraday highs at $2.2733/lb., up nearly 9 cents.

The base metals were red-soaked on Wednesday. Copper was higher in the late pre-dawn hours, but hit the skids, falling straight through the day to finish barely off its intraday lows at $2.1849/lb., down nearly 8¼ cents.

The base metals were modestly lower on Tuesday. Copper pushed above $2.32 in the pre-dawn hours, but sold off from there to the New York open, then traded flat through the day, finishing at $2.2664/lb., down nearly 2 cents.