* Chinese snowstorms could affect deliveries, smelters * Dollar falls to lend additional support * Copper stocks at 406,450 tonnes, cap gains (Recasts, adds comments/details, previous SINGAPORE) By Michael Taylor LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Copper hit a three-week high on Monday, boosted by a weak dollar, bad weather in the world's largest metals consumer China and improving Japanese growth data. By 1100 GMT, copper for three month delivery MCU3 on the London Metal Exchange traded at $6,681.50 a tonne from $6,520 at the close on Friday. The metal, used in power and construction, earlier touched $6,702 its highest level since Oct. 26. "I came in this morning and was just amazed," said Robin Bhar, an analyst at Calyon. "It's just a happy confluence of factors ... data out of Japan is ok, and the snow in China." Bhar added however, that funds with year ends in November may be pushing prices higher, as many investors eye the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Bad weather in northern China and a big rise in annual copper premiums for the world's largest metals consumer, China, buoyed prices. Unseasonably early and heavy snow in northern China has caused at least 38 deaths, the official news agency said. [ID:nPEK129447] Chile's Codelco, the world's top copper producer, has raised term premiums for refined copper to China by $10 per tonne to $85 per tonne for delivery in 2010. [ID:nPEK158133] "This is a clear signal that metal availability will be tighter than expected next year, and that the supply squeeze that is widely anticipated in copper could happen sooner than expected," said VTB Capital analysts in a note. "The increase also suggests that available copper inventories might not be at the very high levels that have been widely reported." Latest LME data showed copper stocks rose 2,825 tonnes to total 406,450 -- their highest level since late-April. Nickel inventories rose 132 tonnes to remain at near 15-year highs of 131,880 tonnes. <0#LME-STOCKS> JAPAN GROWTH Boosting the economic outlook, data showed that Japan's economy grew at the fastest pace in more than two years in the third quarter. Japan is the world's No.2 economy. [ID:nT339912] Improving macro data, Chinese buying, new investor cash and a weaker dollar have helped copper prices to more than double this year, analysts say. On Monday, a weak dollar again lent support to industrial metals, as traders took a lack of agreement on currencies among Asian and U.S. leaders as a cue to sell the greenback. [USD/] A weak U.S. currency makes metals priced in dollars less expensive for holders of other currencies. [USD/] New record highs in gold prices was also aiding industrial metal sentiment, said Calyon's Bhar. [GOL/] Aluminium MAL3 added $32.50 to $1,972.50. LME stocks for the metal used in transport and packaging fell 175 tonnes to continue a recent downward trend at 4.53 million tonnes. Steel making ingredient nickel MNI3 traded at $16,500 from $16,200 while battery material lead MPB3 was at $2,309 from $2,275. Analysts as VTB Capital said that should nickel prices fall significantly below $16,000 a tonne, Chinese nickel pig iron output will start to fall and be replaced by increased imports of refined nickel. "Nickel prices are likely to find a floor soon, close to current levels, and regain their upward momentum before the end of the year," they added. Zinc MZN3 hit a one week high at $2,232 but was last at $2,212 a tonne from $2,174 and tin MSN3 was at $14,785 from $14,750. Metal Prices at 1103 GMT Metal Last Change Pct Move End 2008 Ytd Pct move COMEX Cu 302.65 5.80 +1.95 139.50 116.95 LME Alum 1970.00 30.00 +1.55 1535.00 28.34 LME Cu 6676.00 156.00 +2.39 3060.00 118.17 LME Lead 2304.00 29.00 +1.27 999.00 130.63 LME Nickel 16400.00 200.00 +1.23 11700.00 40.17 LME Tin 14710.00 -40.00 -0.27 10700.00 37.48 LME Zinc 2207.00 33.00 +1.52 1208.00 82.70 SHFE Alu 15255.00 110.00 +0.73 11540.00 32.19 SHFE Cu* 52390.00 1370.00 +2.69 23840.00 119.76 SHFE Zin 17285.00 145.00 +0.85 10120.00 70.80 ** 1st contract month for COMEX copper * 3rd contract month for SHFE AL, CU and ZN SHFE ZN began trading on 26/3/07

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