US copper futures ended down 1.79 percent on Thursday, sinking to a 3-week low, pressured by the dollar's rise and as US equity markets fell after President Barack Obama proposed rules aimed at making the financial system safer. Benchmark copper for March delivery lost 6 cents, or 1.79 percent, to $3.2950 per lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division.

Range from $3.3730 to $3.2830, its weakest level in three weeks. COMEX estimated futures volume at 37,828 lots by 1:00 pm EST (1800 GMT). Final volume on Wednesday at 30,403. Open interest fell by 1,231 lots to 141,781 contracts as of January 20. Euro slumped to a nearly six-month-low against the dollar on Thursday, pressured by concerns over a swelling budget deficit in Greece.

Copyright Reuters, 2010