METALS-Copper muted in thin holiday trading; focus on US inflation data

NEW DELHI, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Copper prices were little changed on Tuesday as Chinese Lunar New Year holiday weighed on sentiment and traders awaited U.S. inflation data for cues on the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 was up 0.6% to $8,282.50 a metric ton by 0230 GMT. The market expects the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) for January - due to be released later in the day - to give the Fed further confidence that inflation is slowing towards its 2% target. USD/ This could determine when U.S. interest rates are cut, which in turn could mean a lower dollar. A falling U.S. currency makes dollar-priced metals cheaper for holders of other currencies, which could boost demand. "We have U.S. CPI inflationary data which will no doubt lead to much speculation as to the timing of the first Fed cut," Al Munro at broker Marex said in a note. In other metals, LME aluminium CMAL3 gained 0.5% to $2,237 a ton, nickel CMNI3 was down 0.03% to $16,035, zinc CMZN3 edged 0.9% higher to $2,340, while lead CMPB3 rose 0.2% to $2,028.50. Tin CMSN3 was up 0.3% to $27,390. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L (Reporting by Neha Arora; 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 ))