Escondida strike buoys copper prices but markets nervous on global demand

London copper futures rose for a second day on Wednesday as supply worries brought on by an extended strike at the world’s largest copper mine countered concerns over protracted talks in the United States to lift its debt limit.

But the thin trading volumes in Asian hours and modest gains suggest investors were far from aggressive in pushing up copper prices, now trading just around 3 percent away from historic highs, given a shaky outlook for global demand.