Copper futures rise nearly 1% at the open

Copper futures rose nearly 1% in American trade as the dollar index settled lower, ahead of the US labor data, and following the stellar payrolls report on Friday, as markets await Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari's speech later today. 

As of 02:45 GMT, copper futures due on September 15 rose 0.71% to $290.55 a pound from the opening of $289.45, while the dollar index shed 0.02% to 93.52 from the opening of 93.54. 

Later, markets await the US labor market conditions index, while last week, data showed the economy created 209 thousand new jobs in July, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, as average hourly earnings accelerated to 0.3% in line with expectations. 

Similarly, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari is scheduled to speak at the Rotary Club of Downtown Sioux Falls, in South Dakota, as markets price in a third Fed rate hike later this year.