BEIJING, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Copper prices opened lower on Monday, weighed down by growing concerns about the Middle East conflict and rising stocks of the metal.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was down 0.4% to $7,918 per metric ton by 0152 GMT, while the most-traded December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange slid 0.8% to 65,840 yuan ($9,000.93) per ton.

Fears that the Israel-Hamas war could mushroom into a wider Middle East conflict rose on Sunday with Washington warning of a significant risk to U.S. interests in the region as ally Israel pounded Gaza and clashes on its border with Lebanon intensified.

Stocks on the LME have been increasing since mid-July and they ended last week at a two-year peak.

Copper stocks on the SHFE rose for a second consecutive week on Friday.

LME aluminium dipped 0.2% to $2,176.50 a ton, tin was little changed at $24,995, zinc slid 0.7% to $2,420, lead nudged down 0.3% to $2,093.50, and nickel gained 0.1% to $18,600.

SHFE aluminium fell 0.4% to 18,910 yuan a ton, zinc slid 0.4% to 18,900 yuan, lead added 0.5% at 16,580 yuan, nickel was listless at 149,050 yuan, while tin slipped 1.1% to 214,220 yuan.

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($1 = 7.3148 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Siyi Liu and Dominique Patton; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)