Metals-Zinc extends gains, hovers at four-year high on regional tightness
XME•Other base metals mostly ease
Among other metals, aluminium dipped 0.1% to $3,236 a ton, lead lost 0.2% to $1,902, nickel slipped 0.3% to $16,990 and tin shed 0.2% to $55,750.
$1 = 6.7202 Chinese yuan renminbi
Copper held by inventory worries and U.S. inflation data watch
Three-month LME copper, which has also been hit by falling inventories and supply worries, was little changed at $14,355 a ton, having earlier touched its highest in six months at $14,437.
The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 0.6% to 108,750 yuan ($16,182.55) a ton.
The metal, nicknamed Dr Copper for its use as a barometer of wider economic health, was restrained as markets awaited U.S. inflation data due at 1230 GMT.
The uncertainty offset price support from waning LME inventories as non-traditional copper participants including hedge funds and other speculative investors trade on inventory data showing falling warehouse stocks.
"There are a lot of non-traditional sources trading copper, and an awful amount of fast money moving on data releases," said David Wilson, head of metals strategy at BNP Paribas.
