Rising inventories and a technical selloff drove copper to a four-day low Wednesday, and aluminium to its lowest close since April 2003.

Base metals on the LME finished down. Aluminium fell $47 (3.38%) to $1,343 while copper weakened $100 (3.02%) to $3,210 and nickel dropped $425 (3.77%) to $10,850. Zinc shed $75 (6.12%) to $1,150 and lead lost $88 (7.56%) to $1,070. Comex copper was last quoted at 141.90 US cents per pound.

Gold futures closed lower on a day when the dollar firmed against the euro, but the metal was mostly sideways during an “inside day” on a daily chart. Spot gold was last quoted at $854.70. Comex gold futures slid $5.10 (0.60%) to $850.10. Spot silver was last quoted at $11.27.

West Texas Intermediate was last quoted at US$41.32 per barrel.

The yen rose to a seven-year high against the euro and a 13 1/2-year high against the dollar Wednesday after the expiration of a large options contract.