Copper’s ability to predict turning points in economic cycles and gauge the overall health of the global economy is so strong that the base metal has earned the nickname “Dr. Copper” among insiders in the commodities markets. Falling copper prices are often viewed as a leading indicator of an impending economic downturn due to the metals’ wide variety of use cases in electrical, industrial, and transportation applications. And over the past few months, “Dr. Copper” has been sounding the alarm loud and clear. Copper futures on the benchmark London Metal Exchange have fallen from highs of $10,730 per tonne in March to ... (full story)