The most-traded May copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange slipped 0.1% to 69,600 yuan ($10,119.51) a tonne. The Fed should continue raising rates after recent data showed inflation remains persistent while the broader economy seemed poised to continue growing, even if slowly, St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard told Reuters. "Investors now hope that the Fed will give a clearer stance on the outlook for future monetary policy," Huatai Futures analysts said in a note. Markets are pricing an 86% chance the Fed raises rates by 25 basis points at its meeting in May. "As the interest rate meeting is approaching, the U.S. dollar may still have a chance to strengthen in a short period of time, which may put pressure on the non-ferrous sector to a certain extent," Huatai analysts said. A firm dollar dents the appeal of greenback-priced metals. The dollar steadied on Wednesday as investors scrutinised U.S. economic indicators, Fed commentary and corporate earnings for clues about the path for interest rates. Benchmark LME tin was down 2.3% at $27,200 a tonne, while Shanghai tin shed 1.5% to 219,140 yuan a tonne, after both scaled 11-week peaks in the previous session. A suspension of mining in Myanmar could lead to further tightening of global supplies of tin, China's Yunnan Tin , the world's top refined tin producer, said on Tuesday. LME aluminium dropped 0.4% to $2,427 a tonne, zinc shed 0.7% to $2,851, lead dipped 0.2% to $2,140.50, and nickel lost 0.6% to $25,470 a tonne. SHFE aluminium rose 0.8% to 19,015 yuan a tonne, nickel climbed 4.4% to 196,210 yuan, zinc gained 0.1% to 22,355 yuan, and lead added 0.3% to 15,370 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click or (Reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz in Manila; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
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