Slumping coal prices and falling Chinese developers dampened sentiment, Marex's Anna Stablum said from the LME Desk (Singapore).

"Chinese equity indices traded in negative terrain, despite better-than-expected retail sales and industrial production data," she said.

Nickel closed down 1.8% and cash copper lost 1.38%.

US president Joe Biden has just signed the big-spending Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal into law.

He was also set to meet virtually with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping.

Meanwhile the UK has raised its terrorism threat level to severe following yesterday's blast outside a hospital in Liverpool.

The spot gold price is similar to yesterday, about US$1,863 an ounce.

Finally, explorer Atex Resources (TSXV: ATX) was a standout in Toronto, closing up almost 58% to C30c.

It had announced a placement to raise up to $7.4 million at 14.25c per unit, to advance its flagship Valeriano copper-gold project in Chile and for general corporate purposes.