Other than euro zone worries, investors were bracing for a two-day meeting of the US Federal Reserve, with an eye on what policymakers will do to ignite the faltering US economy.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose to $8,408 a tonne by 0858 GMT from Monday's close of $8,364 a tonne.
The metal used in power and construction tumbled more than 3 percent in the previous session to hit its lowest level since Nov. 30.
"It's Europe, Europe and more Europe," Natixis analyst Nic Brown said. "It's a messy situation in Europe and until we get some sort of clarity on it, the market will continue to be concerned."
The euro pared early losses, but stayed near a seven-month low versus the dollar as a ratings downgrade of Italy's sovereign debt fuelled concerns that stronger euro zone countries are caught up in the debt crisis.
Europe has come under increasing global pressure to resolve a crisis that has seen numerous ratings downgrades and financial rescues for Greece, Portugal and Ireland. Analysts said the crisis will have to be addressed by policymakers starting with the US Fed meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday and the G20 and IMF/World Bank meetings this week.
In other macroeconomic news that may affect metals via currencies, investors will also keep an eye out for US housing starts/building permits data for August, which is due later in the day.
European shares rose as traders cited short covering after falls in the previous session.
"... As long as the macroeconomic environment continues to darken and sentiment indicators fall, metal prices are likely to remain under pressure," Commerzbank said in a note. "Further quantitative easing of US monetary policy, which could be announced by the US Federal Reserve tomorrow, will probably only lend support in the near term."
MINE STRIKES
More than a thousand workers have returned to Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold's strike-hit Indonesia mine, the company said on Monday, leading the union to say some production has restarted at the world's third-biggest copper mine.
Workers at Peru's Cerro Verde mine, which yields 2 percent of the world's copper, agreed to end an indefinite strike they began last week, but may down tools again on Sept. 27, a union leader said Monday.
"A partial end to a strike at Freeport McMoran's Grasberg copper and gold mine in Indonesia could also remove some of the support from copper, although the union said an agreement still has not been met," ANZ said in a note. "Sentiment has turned mostly bearish for this market."
Copper stocks at LME warehouses rose 2,200 tonnes to 466,925 tonnes, latest data showed. Levels are about a third higher than in December 2010.
Lead stocks at LME warehouses, which have been rising since mid-August, hit their highest in more than 16 years as they jumped 15,250 tonnes to 345,425 tonnes.
Battery material lead traded at $2,314 from $2,301 a tonne. Zinc , used in galvanizing, traded at $2,111 from $2,100 a tonne.
Nickel traded at $21,276 a tonne from $21,000. Tin was at $22,998 from $22,710 a tonne while aluminium traded at $2,345 from $2,340 a tonne.
Copyright Reuters, 2011