After sinking to a four-year low of US $1.27 per pound in December 2008, copper prices rose to US $4.34 at the end of 2010, a 30.5% increase in 2010 but a 242% increase from its low. Copper has been known to be a forward looking indicator of economic strength as it has wide usage among basic building materials, and so it is no surprise that copper has risen alongside world markets. However much of its strength may be largely attributable to strategic buying by China, the world’s largest consumer of the metal, and arbitrage trading between Shanghai and the London Metal Exchange.