Reuters reported that LME copper fell to its lowest in nine months after disappointing Chinese economic data compounded worries about a global slowdown following weak US retail sales last week.

China's economic recovery unexpectedly stumbled in the first 3 months of 2013 as the annual rate of growth eased back to 7.7% from the 7.9% pace set in the final quarter of last year.

Industrial production for March was also weaker than expected up 8.9% but lower than forecasts of 10%. Three month copper on the London Metal Exchange fell to USD 7,273 per tonne its lowest since June 22. Shanghai copper slid more than 3% to go as low as CNY 52,960 per tonne, a 10 month trough.

LME nickel and aluminium fell to their lowest in more than seven months, while lead and tin sank to five month and four month lows respectively. The most active Shanghai zinc contract hit its lowest since December 2008, ShFE aluminium since Feb 2009 while ShFE lead marked a new bottom for the contract since it launched in March 2011.

Mr Dominic Schnider an analyst at UBS Wealth Management in Singapore said that "People are now cutting their expectations for growth. Why were metals so under pressure in the last month? Because apparently things were not so good. The metals really have given a good indication of what was happening in China."

Mr Schnider said that with metals such as zinc and aluminium already trading at or below the cost of production there was little scope for further steep falls. Metals have already reacted a great deal, so I don't see much of a decline from current levels. That said the market will come in today and push it lower.

European shares fell on Monday, led lower by mining stocks after China's data added to worries about a global slowdown that had resurfaced on Friday when US retail sales contracted in March for the second time in three months. Consumer confidence also tumbled in April, a sign tax hikes early this year stole momentum from the economy.

That pushed copper down nearly 3% on Friday, closing the week flat after falling for three straight weeks. Copper has lost more than 7% year to date. Three month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.97% to USD 7,334.50 per tonne by 0704 GMT. The most traded August copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange closed down 3.1% to CNY 53,380 per tonne.