By Hongmei Li
June 5 (Reuters) - London copper prices inched up on Thursday amid a weakening U.S. dollar, while the market focus remained on a series of trade talks between the U.S. and its major trading partners.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 gained 0.31% to $9,651 per metric ton, as of 0102 GMT, and the most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 stayed largely steady at 78,190 yuan ($10,890.43).
The dollar index =USD remained near six-week lows on weak U.S. economic data, making dollar-denominated assets less expensive for holders of other currencies. FRX/
On the trade front, U.S. President Donald Trump called his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with" on Wednesday, exposing frictions after the White House raised expectations of a long-awaited phone call between the two leaders this week.
Canada prepared possible reprisals, while the European Union reported progress in trade talks on Wednesday, as new U.S. metals tariffs triggered more disruption in the global economy and added urgency to negotiations with Washington.
"Trump's 50% tariffs on aluminium and steel have raised expectations that he will soon follow through with a pledge to impose stiffer duties on copper as well," ANZ said.
Tin CMSN3 on the LME eased around 0.3% to $31,935 a ton after hitting a one-week high on Wednesday on concerns that the resumption of supply from Myanmar's tin-rich Wa State would take longer than previously expected.
SHFE tin SSNcv1 remained the strongest performer on Thursday, up 1.4% to 258,750 yuan, aluminium SAFcv1 gained 0.5% to 20,110 yuan a ton, lead SPBcv1 added 0.5% to 16,720 yuan, while nickel SNIcv1 was down 0.2% to 121,800 yuan.
Among other London metals, LME aluminium CMAL3 inched up 0.2% to $2,488.5 a ton and nickel CMNI3 edged 0.1% higher to $15,415, while lead CMPB3 eased 0.4% to $1,982.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0600 Germany Industrial Orders MM Apr
0600 Germany Manufacturing O/P Cur Price, Consumer Goods SA Apr
0830 US S&P GLOBAL PMI: MSC COMPOSITE - OUTPUT May
1215 EU ECB Refinancing, Deposit Rate Jun
1230 US International Trade $ Apr
1230 US Initial Jobless Clm 31 May,
1430 US EIA-Nat Gas Chg Bcf, Nat Gas-EIA Implied Flow 30 May
($1 = 7.1797 Chinese yuan)