New Delhi, Feb. 2 -- Copper prices continued to slide from record highs as market participants weighed whether bullish investors from China would re-enter the metal after a volatile stretch that has shaken global metals markets.

Copper prices on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) crashed nearly 5% to Rs.1,169 on Monday. From its all-time peak, the prices are down 18%.

Meanwhile, in the international markets, metal fell as much as 4.2% to $12,600 a ton on the London Metal Exchange. Copper had surged to a record above $14,500 last Thursday, only to tumble below $13,000 a ton during intraday trade on Friday.

Metal prices have seen sharp swings in recent weeks. Prices initially rallied, driven by strong investor interest in China, where fu...