BNP BNP Paribas

By Francesca Freeman

French Bank BNP Paribas (BNP.FR) Wednesday lowered its forecasts across all six base metals for this year and next, citing "great uncertainty" over Europe's economic and financial prospects.

The bank now sees copper averaging $8,100 a metric ton this year, a 6.1% reduction to its previous forecast. In 2013, BNP Paribas expects copper to average $8,000/ton, down 1.5% on its earlier outlook.

Write to Francesca Freeman at francesca.freeman@dowjones.com