METALS-Copper prices ease but head for weekly gains

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Copper prices were subdued on Friday but headed for weekly gains as the U.S. dollar stayed muted, while traders looked for further signals on top consumer China's stimulus measures. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) CMCU3 dipped 0.1% at $9,068.5 per metric ton, as of 0200 GMT, but was on track for a second straight weekly gain, up 0.7%. The most-traded January copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) SCFcv1 slipped 0.2% to 74,350 yuan ($10,231.75) a ton but gained 0.8% for the week. The U.S. dollar rally continues to cool, making metals more affordable for other currency holders. USD/ The market's focus is on China's Central Economic Work Conference meeting this month, where top leaders will set economic growth targets. So far, investors have mostly been disappointment about the lack of aggressive fiscal stimulus measures by China to boost its sluggish economy. "Prices are expected to remain around $9,000 per ton for the rest of the quarter," analysts at Macquarie said. "Flagging demand in China caused by trade tariffs could see a shift in Chinese stimulus to drive domestic demand, or there could be a stronger recovery in developed markets." The U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office in January, has pledged to impose "an additional 10% tariff" on imports from China. LME aluminium CMAL3 lost 0.5% at $2,627 a ton, zinc CMZN3 fell 0.7% at $3,097.5, lead CMPB3 decreased 0.3% to $2,093, tin CMSN3 dropped 0.5% at $29,010, while nickel CMNI3 rose 0.2% at $16,005. SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 fell 0.9% at 20,400 yuan a ton, tin SSNcv1 dipped 0.3% at 242,920 yuan, nickel SNIcv1 fell 0.6% to 125,660 yuan, while zinc SZNcv1 increased 0.5% to 25,525 yuan and lead SPBcv1 firmed 0.6% at 17,710 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L (Reporting by Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich) (([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 ))