Prices of most non-ferrous metals declined on Thursday on a stronger dollar that was supported by a lack of clarity on the timeline and scale of US interest rate cuts.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was down 0.4 percent at $8,486.50 per metric ton, while the most-traded February copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) eased 0.3 percent to 68,420 yuan ($9,562.41) per metric ton.
The dollar edged higher as investors reassessed their expectations of the scale of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year, with an air of caution hanging over markets after an impressive risk rally last month.
A firm dollar makes greenback-priced metals more expensive to holders of other currencies.
Metals traded in thin volumes as some traders are still away for the New Year holiday.
LME aluminum fell 0.9 percent to $2,292.50 a ton, nickel declined 0.6 percent to $2,570, zinc shed 0.6 percent to $2,570, tin dropped 0.4 percent to $25,190 while lead rose 0.2 percent to $2,049.50.
SHFE aluminum dropped 1.3 percent to 19,210 yuan a ton, nickel shed 1.9 percent to 125,570 yuan, zinc fell 0.8 percent to 21,375 yuan, while lead rose 0.3 percent to 15,965 yuan and tin increased 0.3 percent to 210,890 yuan.
