Copper snapped a three-day winning streak to end lower on Tuesday as ongoing unrest in the Middle East and rising oil prices ignited inflation concerns, fuelling a reduction of risk across the broader base complex. COMEX copper for May delivery rose 1.30 cents to settle at $4.5095 per lb.
With the late-session recovery, prices now stand within 3 percent of all-time records hit in mid-February at $10,190 per tonne in London and $4.6575 per lb in New York.