Copper prices bounced off three-week lows on Monday after robust factory data in China raised hopes of recovering demand in the world’s top metals consumer. The copper price has rebounded strongly since touching four-year lows in March but has held to a tight range since it hit a two-year peak in mid-July. Copper has been caught in a tug of war between bearish investors citing resurgent coronavirus cases and bulls latching on to increasingly strong economic data. Monday’s numbers showed manufacturing activity in China expanded at its fastest pace in nearly a decade while factories in the euro zone showed their first growth since early 2019. The Yangshan copper premium SMM-CUYP-CN in China has declined to $83.50 a tonne, its lowest since June 15 and down from $99 two weeks ago. The dollar index rose 0.4%, making dollar-denominated metals more expensive for holders of other currencies.