METALS-Metals fall on dollar strength; copper slips from 1-month high

SHANGHAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Most base metals, including copper which had hit a one-month high last week, declined due to the strength of the dollar and uncertainties related to potential tariffs that could be introduced by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Three-month copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange (LME) slid 0.3% to $9,159 a metric ton by 0214 GMT. The dollar starts a crucial week, lingering near a peak not seen in more than two years，as Trump makes his return to the White House, with an inaugural address that investors are eagerly awaiting to analyze for clues about his immediate policy plans. The dollar index was last at 109.21 - slightly down from a 26-month high of 110.17 touched last week. A stronger dollar makes greenback-priced commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. "Currently, we are just waiting for Donald Trump's inauguration and hopefully there'll be clarity on the incoming administration's policies soon," a trader said. Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Reserve will likely hold interest rates steady on Jan. 29 and resume cutting in March, according to a slim majority of economists polledby Reuters. LME aluminium CMAL3 was down 0.5% to $2,671, tin CMSN3 lost 0.3% to $29,700, nickel CMNI3 fell 1.1% to $15,920, lead CMPB3 remained flat at $1,966 and zinc CMZN3 lost 0.5% to $2,925. The most-active copper contract on the SHFE SCFcv1 was down 1.2% to 75,450 yuan ($10,314.14)a ton. SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 fell 0.4% to 20,365 yuan a ton, nickel SNIcv1 was down 0.7% to 127,140 yuan, zinc SZNcv1 rose 1.0% to 24,150 yuan, lead SPBcv1 remained flat at 16,710 yuan and tin SSNcv1 lost 0.3% to 247,520 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L ($1 = 7.3152 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Violet Li and Mei Mei Chu; 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 ))