The world’s most informative metal THE locked doors of a public
library in West Norwood, a drab part of south London, are an
unlikely economic indicator. But a plaintive note explaining the
closure—thieves have stripped the roof of its copper cladding,
letting in rain on the books below—hints at profound changes to
the global economy. And copper is the metal most intimately
affected. Police in London note a close correlation between
thefts like the one in West Norwood and global commodities
markets. Around the world, copper crimes have soared along with
its price. Filched cables have reportedly caused train delays
and stalled repairs to telecoms networks. Heating boilers, pipes
and air-conditioners have been ransacked. Criminals are clearly
sensitive to the gyrations of the global economy. Copper is
reckoned to go one better: it earned its moniker of “Dr Copper”
for its supposed ability as an economic forecaster. The metal's
price movements are widely believed to prefigure shifts in the
world economy. The the