Copper prices plunged to one-year lows on Thursday as fund-selling accelerated on worries about demand from the trade tussle between the United States and top consumer China, while Aluminium traded down 1.3 percent to $2,001.

The local share price index futures slipped 0.2 percent, or 11 points, to 6,201, a 61.7-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark rose 0.3 percent on Thursday.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index was close to flat at 2210 GMT.