BEIJING, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Copper prices were subdued on Monday amid cautious trading ahead of top consumer China's key economic data release later this week, while investors gauged demand outlook after a rate cut by the U.S. central bank regained some momentum.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange held its ground at $8,342.50 per metric ton by 0217 GMT, having shed 1.5% last week.
The most-traded February copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange lost 0.4% to 67,810 yuan ($9,452.85) per metric ton.
China's central bank boosted liquidity injections, but surprised markets by leaving the interest rate unchanged when rolling over maturing medium-term policy loans.
The world's second-largest economy will release its fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) and December industrial production on Wednesday.
Bets for a Federal Reserve's rate cut in March have gathered steam after data on Friday showed U.S. producer prices unexpectedly fell last month.
Copper prices, meanwhile, were supported by mine-side disruption. A slump in copper charges in China as smelters scramble for raw material could further erode margins for Chinese firms and potentially lower their production of refined copper.
LME aluminium nudged 0.1% higher to $2,220.50 a ton, lead was down 0.3% at $2,085.50, while nickel fell 1.1% to $16,165, while tin rose 0.7% to $24,800 and zinc gained 0.5% to $2,526.
SHFE nickel lost 1.4% to 127,150 yuan a ton, zinc shed 0.1% to 21,110 yuan, lead slid 1.7% to 16,175 yuan, aluminium eased 0.4% to 18,935 yuan, while tin rose 1.4% to 209,440 yuan.
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($1 = 7.1735 yuan) (Reporting by Siyi Liu and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
