Copper and nickel prices have taken a step back as investor optimism about potential Federal Reserve rate cuts waned. Recent comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell have led to a reassessment of the prospects for an early easing of monetary policy, causing industrial metals to face declines. On Monday, copper futures on the London Metal Exchange (LME) dropped to $8,448 a ton, retreating from recent highs. This downturn reflects investors' revised expectations following Powell's remarks last week, which had initially sparked a surge in the LMEX Index. The index tracks the performance of six major industrial metals and ... (full story)