Copper climbs

Beijing : Copper prices moved higher in Shanghai and London on Friday and were set to end the week in positive territory as the prospect of strikes at copper mines in Chile drew nearer.

The workers´ union at BHP´s Escondida copper mine, the world´s largest, says the company must alter its negotiating strategy and improve its contract offer during a final phase of talks if it hopes to avoid a strike.

Meanwhile, the main union at Lumina Copper´s Caserones mine said on Wednesday a last round of labour negotiations had broken down and that a strike was imminent.

"The last negotiating period (at Escondida) is fast coming to an end, with the two parties still far apart. This should see operations impacted in the not too distant future," ANZ wrote in a note.