Copper eases from near-four month peak

BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters): London copper prices slipped from a near four-month high on Monday as the US dollar strengthened but supply worries amid production disruption in the Cobre mine in Panama capped further losses.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.4 per cent to $8,579.50 per tonne by 0147 GMT. The contract hit $8,640 per last Friday, its highest since Aug. 4.

The dollar index bounced on Monday, as geopolitical tension in the Middle East returned to focus and investor caution against a key employment report later this week.

A stronger dollar makes it more expensive to buy the greenback-priced commodity.