President Donald Trump’s decision this week to impose tariffs starting Aug. 1 on imports of certain copper products, but not on refined copper itself, tanked prices for the industrial metal on Thursday — and has likely brought a halt to a popular trading strategy.

U.S. copper prices plunged after President Trump unveiled 50% tariffs on copper products, but not on the raw material itself. Copper prices surged to records this month after Trump said he would impos

President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on all semi-finished copper products coming into the US, but stopped short of applying the duty to imported refined copper, sparing domestic industries from potential higher costs.