METALS-LME copper barely changed as traders await fresh triggers

Dec 5 (Reuters) - London copper prices were nearly unchanged on Thursday, as market participants looked for more stimulus cues from China and news on potential U.S. trade tariffs. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) CMCU3 was little changed at $9,079.5 per metric ton as of 0150 GMT. The most-traded January copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) SCFcv1 eased 0.3% to 74,530 yuan ($10,248.76) a ton. Traders are anticipating additional fiscal stimulus measures from the upcoming Central Economic Work Conference in China, the world's largest consumer of metals. At the same time, the focus is on developments around potential import tariffs proposed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and any retaliatory actions from Beijing. "With the rising uncertainty over the macro-outlook, the U.S. dollar is likely to take centre stage as a key price driver for the base metals in the near-term, with whipsaw movements a direct a result of Trump announcements," said StoneX analyst Natalie Scott-Gray. The U.S. dollar was little changed overall on the day. A stronger dollar makes metals more expensive for buyers holding other currencies. USD/ On the supply front, Rio Tinto on Wednesday forecast higher copper production, mostly on an anticipated 50% output surge from its Mongolian assets. LME aluminium CMAL3 lost 0.4% at $2,636.5 a ton, nickel CMNI3 eased 0.5% at $16,035, zinc CMZN3 slipped 0.5% at $3,084.5, lead CMPB3 steadied at $2,086.5 and tin CMSN3 was unchanged at $29,035. SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 gained 0.9% at 20,630 yuan a ton, tin SSNcv1 added 0.6% at 244,570 yuan, zinc SZNcv1 increased 0.3% to 25,395 yuan, lead SPBcv1 firmed 0.7% at 17,665 yuan, while nickel SNIcv1 fell 0.4% to 126,940 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L (Reporting by Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy) (([email protected];)) (( For related news and prices, click on the codes in brackets: LME price overview RING= COMEX copper futures 0#HG: All metals news MTL All commodities news C Foreign exchange rates FX= SPEED GUIDES LME/INDEX ))