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NEW YORK - Copper Futures ended down on Tuesday as a firmer dollar slowed demand for the red metal.

The dollar gained as much as 0.3 percent against a basket of six major currencies. Losses in the U.S. currency tend to increase copper prices as demand rises when investors seek to buy commodities to compensate for inflation.

The euro was last at $1.5770 in late afternoon trade in New York after inflation and manufacturing data suggested the U.S. Federal Reserve may not cut further interest rates by 50 basis points on April 30.

Since September, the last six aggressive interest rate cuts made by the Fed had sent the dollar to record lows.

Copper futures for July closed down 3.75 cents or 0.96 percent to $3.8600 a pound on the New York Mercantile Exchange Comex division.

Last weak copper futures reached as much as $4.039 near the $4.04 record in May 2006. Earlier copper jumped 0.6 percent on rising demand for metals.

LME warehouse stocks rose 900 tonnes at 117,150 tonnes.

Copper in the London Metal Exchange dropped $92 or 1.05 percent to $8,633 a metric ton today.