LONDON, Sept 30, 2008 (AFP) - The prices of aluminium, copper and nickel slumped Tuesday as investors feared the ongoing global financial crisis would sap demand for the base metals, analysts said.

On the London Metal Exchange, copper for delivery in three months fell as low as 6,229 dollars per tonne -- the lowest level since March 2007.

Copper has shed 43 percent in value since striking a record high of 8,940 dollars per tonne three months ago.

At the same time on Tuesday, aluminium plumbed as low as 2,404 dollars per tonne, which was last seen in March 2006.

Nickel sank to 15,999 dollars per tonne -- a low point which has not been witnessed since April 2006.

'The base metals got hit hard as sentiment turned negative,' said BaseMetals analyst William Adams.

World financial markets were rocked on Monday after the shock rejection by US lawmakers of a 700-billion-dollar financial rescue package for troubled Wall Street banks.

'Economic growth is on the decline and even a rescue package that works is likely to keep economic activity depressed for a long while,' added Adams.

'As such, demand for metals is bound to suffer so further weakness in industrial metals looks likely.'