Copper futures dropped for a third day in Shanghai on expectations the world’s largest consumer will buy less metal following stronger-than-expected imports last month. China’s refined copper imports jumped 49 percent to 211,527 metric tons in December from the previous month, customs data showed today. The economy expanded 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter, the slowest pace in seven years, the government also said today. “I doubt such a big monthly figure is going to be repeated this year, as the economic data we’re seeing gets from bad to worse” Wang Xiaoli, an analyst at Goldbull Futures Co., said from Shenzhen today. “One can only hope such a strong import number means demand is still relatively steady and better than most people expect.” Copper for April delivery on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell as much as 4.4 percent to a two-week low of 26,030 yuan ($3,808) a metric ton, and was at 26,310 yuan at 10:17 a.m. London Metal Exchange copper was up 0.6 percent to $3,240 a ton. China’s economy grew 9 percent last year compared with the 13 percent expansion that pushed China past Germany in 2007 to become the world’s third-biggest economy. Among other LME-traded metals, aluminum was up 1.1 percent at $1,350 a ton, while zinc and lead were little changed at $1,154 and $1,090 a ton respectively. Tin lost 0.9 percent to $11,500 a ton, and nickel hadn’t traded as of 10:18 a.m. Shanghai time.

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