METALS-Base metals gain as dollar weakens on easing US inflation

May 16 (Reuters) - Prices of non-ferrous metals climbed on Thursday, backed by a softer dollar after U.S. inflation showed signs of slowing, making greenback-priced commodities cheaper for holders of other currencies. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) CMCU3 was up 1.6% at $10,381.50 per metric ton, as of 0436 GMT, while the most-traded June copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) SCFcv1 advanced 1.1% to 82,520 yuan ($11,435.54) a ton. The dollar skidded to multi-month lows after U.S. core inflation hit its slowest in three years, pulling forward expectations for rate cuts in the world's biggest economy and drawing bets that the U.S. currency may have peaked, for now. Prices of base metals were lifted by inflows of funds betting on supply disruptions and an increasing need to use the metals in the green energy sectors, as well as on hopes of rate cuts that could further pressure the dollar and boost economic growth and metals demand in general. Still, higher copper prices - up by around a fifth so far this year - have hurt physical demand. Importers in top consumer China now get a discount of $2 a ton to take copper in, compared with a premium of more than $100 a ton last December. SMM-CUYP-CN LME aluminium CMAL3 increased 1% to $2,623.50 a ton, nickel CMNI3 rose 0.7% to $19,630, zinc CMZN3 climbed 0.9% to $3,004, lead CMPB3 was up 0.6% at $2,283.50 and tin CMSN3 jumped 2.1% to $34,100. SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 climbed 2.1% to 20,885 yuan a ton, nickel SNIcv1 increased 1.9% to 146,860 yuan, zinc SZNcv1 was up 0.6% at 23,870 yuan, lead SPBcv1 rose 1.4% to 18,890 yuan and tin SSNcv1 advanced 1% to 276,600 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 1230 US Housing Starts Number April 1230 US Import Prices YY April 1230 US Initial Jobless Clm Weekly 1230 US Philly Fed Business Index May 1315 US Industrial Production MM April ($1 = 7.2161 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) (([email protected]; Reuters Messaging: [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 ))