Copper Futures Advance on Signs U.S. Economy Recovering

Copper rose for the second time in three sessions on signs that an economic recovery is gaining traction as company earnings and business sentiment improve in the U.S., the world’s second-biggest user of the metal.

Confidence among small businesses rose in January, a report showed today. About 74 percent of the 354 companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index that have released results during the earnings season exceeded profit projections, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Through yesterday, the equity gauge climbed 6.4 percent this year.