The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, Oct. 24, edition that First Quantum Minerals ($26.98), Hudbay Minerals ($5.34) and Lundin Mining ($5.15) have all lost ground of late as flaring geopolitical concerns and fears over a slowing Chinese economy weigh on demand for copper. The Globe's Niall McGee writes that copper prices have been falling amid rising concerns that the trade dispute between the United States and China could slow the Chinese economy, a crucial market for the metal. Jefferies analyst Christopher LaFemina says, "There is certainly a heightened level of fear." Despite the pessimism from equity investors, Mr. LaFemina predicts that copper stocks should start to recover in the next few months, as macroeconomic fears ultimately do not pan out. He also anticipates that copper fundamentals will remain strong and that supply shortfalls will eventually hit home. Next year, production at Freeport-McMoRan's massive Grasberg mine in Indonesia is expected to fall significantly and production declines are also expected at BHP's Escondida mine in Chile, which is the biggest copper mine in the world. Mr. LaFemina says, "This weakness is a good opportunity to buy copper-levered miners."