In New York, the key September COMEX contract shed 1.50 cents to settle at $4.3950 per lb, after dealing between $4.3730 and $4.4250. Selling momentum gathered pace early in the day after data showed US consumer spending unexpectedly fell in June to post the first decline in nearly two years.
"The latest data is not pointing to a particular bright picture ... the health of the underlying global economy is still struggling," said analyst Leon Westgate at Standard Bank.