NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Copper futures came off earlier lows Thursday after U.S. reports showed improvements in manufacturing in the Philadelphia region and in an index of leading economic indicators. July copper was last down slightly at $2.259 a pound in electronic trade. Meanwhile, August gold remained slightly higher at $940.50 an ounce. It earlier fell to a low of $2.2215 a barrel. Manufacturing firms in the Philadelphia region reported the best business conditions since September, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said Thursday. The Philly Fed index improved to negative 2.2 in June from negative 22.6 in May.
