METALS-Copper slips as doubts increase about US rate cut in December

SHANGHAI, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Copper eased on Monday amid a broad selloff among the base metal complex, as hawkish views from some U.S. Federal Reserve officials sparked concerns that a December interest rate cut may not be on the horizon.

The most-active copper contract on Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 declined 0.78% to trade at 86,560 yuan ($12,182.63) per metric ton as of 0250 GMT.

The benchmark three-month copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange dipped 0.16% to trade at $10,835 a ton.

The market is under pressure as traders bet against a December cut by the Fed.

Some policymakers at the U.S. central bank expressed concerns about inflation, questioning whether another rate cut is necessary.

The U.S. government on Friday said it will start to release economic data delayed by the government shutdown, including Thursday's delayed September jobs report.

The U.S. dollar =USD turned stronger on Monday as market pricing in the hawkish views. A stronger dollar weighs on commodities traded in the greenback by making them more expensive for investors using other currencies.

Weak China demand, as well as disappointing economic data, meanwhile, continued to weaken market sentiment.

Among other SHFE base metals, aluminium SAFcv1 and lead SPBcv1 eased 1.05%, zinc SZNcv1 dropped 0.44%, nickel SNIcv1 tumbled 0.88%, and tin SSNcv1 declined 1.38%.

All base metals, except copper, saw their inventories in warehouses registered on SHFE rose last week, indicating weak demand.

Among other LME metals, lead CMPB3 dipped 0.31%, nickel CMNI3 lost 0.41%, tin CMSN3 dropped 0.31%, while aluminium CMAL3 and zinc CMZN3 were little changed.

($1 = 7.1052 Chinese yuan renminbi)