Copper down

Melbourne : LME copper cut early gains to $6,577 a tonne, by 0442 GMT, still marginally in positive territory, after closing little changed in the previous session and finishing the week down nearly 4 percent.

Prices have climbed by 19 percent so far this year, in line with gains in aluminium, zinc and lead.

China´s rising copper imports "backs up our view that a tightening copper-concentrate market is pushing many buyers into the refined metal market to satisfy its copper units," said ANZ. London metal prices edged higher on Monday, following robust trade data from China, while zinc rallied as a crackdown on pollution in China dampened growth in mine supply. China´s exports and imports unexpectedly accelerated last month in an encouraging sign for the world´s second-biggest economy, though analysts expect growth to continue cooling amid a government crackdown on financial risks and polluting factories.