By Chanyaporn Chanjaroen Jan. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Copper may fall in London as a stronger dollar erodes demand for metals as an alternative investment. The U.S. Dollar Index, a six-currency gauge of the strength of the greenback, rose as much as 0.7 percent, erasing a drop. A stronger dollar makes metals priced in the currency more expensive for holders of other monies. Copper for three-month delivery lost $26, or 0.3 percent, to $7,474 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange at 12:40 p.m. local time. The contract wiped out a gain of as much as 1.4 percent to a one-week high. Copper for March delivery added 0.9 percent to $3.3975 a pound on the New York Mercantile Exchange’s Comex unit. Among other LME metals for three-month delivery, aluminum fell 1.2 percent to $2,276 a ton and nickel dropped 0.5 percent to $18,800 a ton. Tin slipped 1.5 percent to $17,730 a ton, zinc was little changed at $2,480 a ton, and lead was 0.4 percent lower at $2,455 a ton. To contact the reporter on this story: Chanyaporn Chanjaroen in London at cchanjaroen@bloomberg.net.

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