Copper futures traded around $6.45 per pound on Friday after plunging nearly 5% in the previous session, pressured by reports that the US is reconsidering plans to impose import tariffs on refined metals. US officials were reportedly concerned that the proposed levies could push domestic copper prices even higher and increase manufacturing costs. The metal surged to record highs earlier this week as traders redirected shipments to US warehouses to capitalize on tariff-driven gains in local prices, tightening global supplies. This came amid ongoing shortages of sulfuric acid for major copper refiners worldwide, as supply pressures from GCC countries prompted China to suspend exports. Mined supply has also weakened, with Codelco and Freeport-McMoRan reportedly posting double-digit production declines, shortly after the International Copper Study Group pointed to a 1.1% drop in global output during the first half of the year.