The Canadian markets were firing on all cylinders during Thursday trading as investors appeared to be gobbling up almost any equity in sight.

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 Canadian markets started the week off on a sour note as the bears took control once again during Monday trading.

The base metals were mixed on Monday. Copper came off its pre-dawn lows to move mostly upward and, though it couldn’t dent the $4 mark, finished with a modest gain at $3.9678/lb., up 2 2/3 cents from Friday.

Interesting how certain investment threads come together. I read recently that copper producers are complaining about the skyrocketing costs of sulfuric acid. A few days later, I read about Mosaic, a fertilizer company, about how the rising cost of sulfuric acid could impact its profit margins.

The base metals were nearly all in the red on Thursday. Copper traded beyond $3.98 in the pre-dawn hours but it was downhill from there during the trading day with each push higher knocked down into a finish at $3.9162/lb., down more than 2 cents.

The base metals were mixed on Friday. Copper pushed above the $4 level in the pre-dawn hours, but once again was unable to hold there, as it fell sharply through the first hour of the New York session, but then came off its lows to finish at $3.9512/lb., down less than 2 cents.