METALS-Copper retreats from 1-month high on dollar strength, US policy uncertainty

(Updates prices) SHANGHAI, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Most base metals, including copper, which touched a one-month high last week, declined on Monday due to a strong dollar and uncertainty over potential tariffs under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's administration. Three-month copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange (LME) slid 0.2% to $9,172 a metric ton by 0725 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 clues about his immediate policy plans. The dollar index was last at 109.11 - slightly down from a 26-month high of 110.17 it 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 its Jan. 29 monetary policy meeting and resume easing in March, according to a slim majority of economists polled by Reuters. LME aluminium CMAL3 fell 0.4% to $2,673.5, tin CMSN3 gained 0.3% to $29,850, nickel CMNI3 fell 1.5% to $15,860, lead CMPB3 slid 0.1% to $1,965 and zinc CMZN3 lost 0.3% to $2,934. The most-active copper contract on the SHFE SCFcv1 was down 1.3% to 75,400 yuan ($10,307.73)a ton by the end of Asian afternoon trade. SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 fell 0.2% to 20,405 yuan a ton, nickel SNIcv1 was down 1.1% to 126,640 yuan, zinc SZNcv1 rose 1.3% to 24,215 yuan, lead SPBcv1 added 0.5% to 16,785 yuan and tin SSNcv1 was flat at 248,300 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or MET/L ($1 = 7.3149 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Violet Li and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sherry Jacob-Phillips) (([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 ))