Copper futures fell Wednesday as weaker-than-expected U.S. retail sales data dampened hopes about a swift economic recovery. Gold fell slightly as the dollar rose. Copper for July delivery fell 6.6 cents, or 3.2%, to $2.02 a pound on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Meanwhile, June gold fell $4.50 or 0.5%, to $919.40 an ounce. The contract had ended Tuesday's trading at the highest level since April 1. U.S. retail sales dropped a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in April, the eighth decline in the past 10 months, the Commerce Department estimated Wednesday. Markets on average had expected a slight increase. The Commerce Department's retail sales data measure revenues at stores selling durable and nondurable goods. Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of the U.S. economy and is a key element in economic growth. Retail sales had dropped 1.3% in March. Gold prices, meanwhile, dipped below $920 an ounce. Helping pushing gold lower, the greenback rose against most of its major rivals, with the dollar index (DXY 82.56, +0.26, +0.31%) up 0.4% to $82.434. A stronger dollar tends to reduce gold's appeal as an investment alternative. In exchange-traded funds, holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD 90.45, -0.25, -0.28%) , the biggest ETF backed by gold, stood at 1,104.09 tons Tuesday, remaining unchanged for a fifth straight day, according to the fund's latest data. In other metals Friday, July silver sank 20 cents, or 1.4%, to $14.015 an ounce. June palladium lost $1.85, or 0.8%, to $232.60 an ounce, and the July contract for platinum declined $9.20, or 0.8%, to $1,122.90 an ounce.

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