MARKETS-METALS (UPDATE 2) * Tin strikes record at $31,800 a tonne * Aluminium stocks within a whisker of a record high * Coming up: U.S. international trade for Dec, 1330 GMT (Recasts, previous SINGAPORE) By Rebekah Curtis LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Copper slipped on Friday, falling further from this week's record high as a higher dollar and concerns about Chinese demand dented sentiment, while tin also fell from a peak hit earlier as supply concerns lingered. Copper for three-months delivery on the London Metal Exchange traded at $9,850.25 a tonne at 1009 GMT from a close of $9,951 on Thursday. Worries about the demand outlook in China lingered after the world's top copper consumer on Tuesday raised interest rates to mop up cash from its fast-growing economy in order to rein in inflation. "There's more and more evidence that the trend of interest rates is up," BNP Paribas analyst Stephen Briggs said. But analysts stayed broadly confident that Chinese demand for the metal used in power and construction would hold strong. "China will continue to be a big net importer of copper this year," Briggs said. "Demand for all base metals will continue to grow." Copper struck a record high of $10,160 a tonne on Monday on the back of concerns about supply, as well as improving economic data that bode well for demand. Tin, which earlier struck a record high of $31,800 a tonne, traded at $31,400 from $31,500 at Thursday's close. "If you take a view for the next few months, sentiment is still very positive," Daniel Briesemann, an analyst at Commerzbank, said of copper. "The major driver is supply constraints...," he said "...with tin as well." Stocks of copper in LME warehouses fell 225 tonnes to 396,725 tonnes, but a recent trend of rising stocks has raised some concerns about the demand outlook. Underscoring these worries, Shanghai copper stocks rose nearly 10,000 tonnes to 144,197 tonnes. DOLLAR GAINS Deterring non-U.S. investors, the dollar rose versus other major currencies after data underscored recovery in the U.S. jobs market. Meanwhile, concerns about debt problems in Europe weighed down on the euro. Investors also kept an eye on political tensions in Egypt that have knocked risk sentiment. Aluminium was at $2,503.75 a tonne from $2,537. Stocks of the metal used in transport and packaging fell 2,325 tonnes but were just 41,300 tonnes off a record high of 4,640,750 tonnes hit on Jan. 20, 2010. Vast amounts of the metal used in transport and packaging have been tied up under cheap rent and financing deals, where metal holders profit if prices rise faster than storage costs. "More is going to come in, much more." said RBC Capital's Alex Heath. "Metal is locked up in deals. These deals can exist within exchange warehousing systems, or off exchange, in which case the metal is not visible to the market. "If you're a physical producer or a merchant then you're rubbing your hands with glee," Heath added. "The price has been defended very effectively by this financial mechanism." Zinc was at $2,413 from $2,448 a tonne and battery material lead was at $2,485 from $2,510 a tonne. Stainless steel material nickel was at $27,650 from $27,875 a tonne. In industry news, ThyssenKrupp AG, Germany's biggest steelmaker, stuck to profit goals as robust demand from its home turf and emerging markets outweigh rising losses at its new U.S. and Brazilian plants. The group said net profit in the three months to end-December nearly halved to 101 million euros ($138 million). Data in focus on Thursday included U.S. international trade figures for December, due at 1330 GMT, and Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary February consumer sentiment numbers, due at 1455 GMT. Metal Prices at 1016 GMT Comex copper in cents/lb, LME prices in $/T and SHFE prices in yuan/T Metal Last Change Percent Move End 2010 Ytd Percent move COMEX Cu 450.10 -4.25 -0.94 444.70 1.21 LME Alum 2530.00 -7.00 -0.28 2470.00 2.43 LME Cu 9920.00 -31.00 -0.31 9600.00 3.33 LME Lead 2510.00 0.00 +0.00 2550.00 -1.57 LME Nickel 27850.00 -25.00 -0.09 24750.00 12.53 LME Tin 31495.00 -5.00 -0.02 26900.00 17.08 LME Zinc 2450.00 2.00 +0.08 2454.00 -0.16 SHFE Alu 17090.00 40.00 +0.23 16840.00 1.48 SHFE Cu* 74920.00 -410.00 -0.54 71850.00 4.27 SHFE Zin 19140.00 -255.00 -1.31 19475.00 -1.72 ** Benchmark month for COMEX copper * 3rd contract month for SHFE AL, CU and ZN SHFE ZN began trading on 26/3/07 (Editing by Alison Birrane)

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