Copper prices hit a record high of more than $14,000 a metric ‍ton on Thursday, ‍as speculators extended their buying spree, encouraged by expectations of strong demand and supported ​by a weak dollar and geopolitical concerns. They ignored warnings by some analysts that high prices would chill physical ⁠demand by industrial consumers and was not being supported by current supply/demand fundamentals. Benchmark three-month copper on the ⁠London Metal ‌Exchange jumped 9% to an all-time high of $14,268 a metric ton, paring gains to $14, 147 by 1315 GMT. In LME official open-outcry trading, copper gained 6.6% to $13,950 ⁠a ton. The most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange closed daytime trading 6.7% higher ​at 109,110 yuan ($15,708.77) a ton, after setting a record of 110,970 yuan.