Other metals largely finished the penultimate trading session of 2005 softer, restrained by copper's softer trend, as the market positioned itself for end-year booksquaring and adjustments by funds on Friday, traders said.
"You can toss a coin about how it is going to go tomorrow. I'm square and don't care at the moment," a trader at an associate broker clearer said.
Copper sentiment was bruised by a hefty warehouse stock increase, although the market remains fundamentally tight and is highly susceptible to supply-side developments and worries.
"The stocks (increase) was a bit of a dampener, but it is also coming off after hitting a new high yesterday," another trader said.
LME inventories rose 7,150 tonnes to 87,750 tonnes, the highest since October 2004, with big increases seen in South Korea and Singapore.
Three months hit a low of $4,408 a tonne at one stage but repeatedly bounced and ended the day at $4,437, still down from Wednesday's kerb close of $4,483.
"There was a bit of profit-taking by the specs today, but it was well supported on the dips," the first trader said.
Others said the failure to sustain a move above $4,500 on Wednesday -- prices peaked at a fresh all-time high of $4,512 -- had also encouraged selling.
However, with the market still underpinned by supply worries -- there is a strike threat at Chile's Codelco -- the downside was likely to be restricted to $4,400.
"Developments such as these just go to underline how vulnerable the metal market is to further supply disruptions, whether it is from strikes, accidents, power shortages or maintenance shutdowns," analyst William Adams of Basemetals.com said.
Inventory movements also influenced nickel, which lost some of the gains notched up in the previous session. Prices fell to $13,350 from $13,550 after stocks jumped 2,190 tonnes to 35,538 tonnes, the highest since September 2003.
Lead lost ground in more active trading, with declines accelerated by fund liquidation and sell-stops, and last trade was at $1,055, down $41.
Aluminium bucked the trend, rising $8 to $2,280, as the market was cushioned by a 5,825-tonne stock fall.
Zinc was $1 lower at $1,883, while tin eased to $6,625 from $6,675/6,700.