March 12 (Reuters) - Nonferrous metals prices fell in London on Tuesday, retreating from gains in the previous session, as investors and traders pulled back ahead of key data in China and the United States.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) fell 0.2% to $8,634 per metric ton by 0226 GMT, aluminium declined 0.4% to $2,250, nickel decreased $18,305 and zinc dipped 0.3% to $2,558.50.
LME lead eased 0.2% to $2,122.50 a ton and tin shed 0.6% to $27,470.
The London prices have been pressured by subdued economic growth outlook, poor manufacturing data and the lack of a big stimulus support from top metals consumer China.
The U.S. inflation data due later in the day could move the dollar, and ultimately metals prices due to trading activities by funds that buy and sell on signals from numerical models.
China is also scheduled to release its loan data this week, which includes the total social financing numbers - a key indicator of future metals demand. Chinese banks lending is expected to have pulled back sharply in February from a record high a month earlier due to seasonal factors.
The most-traded May copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) edged up 0.1% at 69,650 yuan ($9,703.40) a ton, tracking overnight gains in London. SHFE aluminium increased 0.2% to 19,85 yuan and nickel jumped 2.3% to 140,660 yuan.
SHFE zinc advanced 0.7% to 21,350 yuan a ton, lead increased 0.5% to 16,290 yuan, while tin dropped 0.6% to 219,460 yuan.
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DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0700 Germany HICP Final YY Feb
0700 UK Claimant Count Unem Chng Feb
0700 UK ILO Unemployment Rate Jan
0700 UK HMRC Payrolls Change Feb
1230 US Core CPI MM, SA; YY, NSA Feb
1230 US CPI MM, SA; YY, NSA Feb
1230 US CPI Wage Earner Feb
($1 = 7.1779 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)
