Dec 1 (Reuters) - Copper prices advanced on Friday, supported by a softer dollar and data from top consumer China that showed factory activity surprisingly expanded in November.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.4% to $8,499 per metric ton by 0221 GMT, while the most-traded January copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange advanced 0.4% to 68,450 yuan ($9,592.88) a ton.
The dollar eased as traders weighed data that showed inflation was easing, stoking expectations that interest rates had peaked and central banks would soon start cutting rates.
A softer dollar makes greenback-priced metals cheaper to holders of other currencies.
Metals prices were boosted after data showed China's factory activity unexpectedly expanded in November, driven by rising orders, the private Caixin survey showed.
However, gains were limited on worries of how well China's economy is performing, following official Chinese data on Thursday showing manufacturing activity shrank for a second straight month in November and at a quicker pace.
The Caixin survey covers around 650 private and state-owned manufacturers and, according to economists, focuses more on export-oriented firms in coastal regions, while the official survey samples 3,200 companies across China.
LME aluminium rose 0.4% to $2,201 a ton, zinc advanced 0.3% to $2,483, lead increased 0.3% to $2,129, tin climbed 1% to $23,480 while nickel was almost flat at $16,640.
SHFE aluminium edged up 0.1% at 18,600 yuan a ton, tin rose 0.1% to 196,220 yuan, while nickel fell 2.4% to 129,610 yuan, zinc dipped 0.4% to 20,715 yuan, and lead shed 0.5% to 15,790 yuan.
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DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0500 India S&P Global Mfg PMI Nov
0600 Russia S&P Global Mfg PMI Nov
0700 UK Nationwide house price Nov
0850 France S&P Global Mfg PMI Nov
0855 Germany HCOB Mfg PMI Nov
0900 Euro Zone HCOB Mfg Final PMI Nov
0930 UK S&P Global/CIPS Mfg PMI Nov
1445 US S&P Global Mfg PMI Nov
1500 US ISM Mfg PMI Nov
1600 US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell
participates in a fireside chat at
Spelman College
($1 = 7.1355 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Rashmi Aich)