Recasts, updates prices

BEIJING, Sept 4 (Reuters) -London copper prices inched higher on Wednesday, supported bydip-buying after the market sank to a two-week low in the previous session and signs of a demand pickup in China.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 was up 0.5% at $8999 per metric ton as of 0401 GMT. The contract fell 2.5% on Tuesday to its lowest level since Aug. 13.

The most-traded October copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 lost 1.8% to 72,100 yuan ($10,140.08) a ton, hitting a more than three-week low in early trade.

The large sell-off came due to lowered risk appetite after weak U.S. manufacturing data sparked economic concerns.

That added to the top consumerChina's lacklustre manufacturing activity, as signalled by its August official survey, and slower growth in new home prices.

Traders are bracing for more volatility as the U.S. non-farm payroll is due on Friday.

Still, a widely expected rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September and signs of a possibledemand recovery in China led to buying opportunities, analysts said.

The indicators of ademand recovery inChina, said analysts, includea higher premium SMM-CU-PND to buy copper in the spot market and a decline in inventory.

Guangzhou Futures analysts eyed 70,000 yuan per ton as a supporting level for Shanghai copper.

LME aluminium CMAL3 edged 0.3% higher to $2,414 a ton, nickel CMNI3 slid 0.4% to $16,395, zinc CMZN3 little moved at $2,844, lead CMPB3 increased 0.4% to $2,052.50 and tin CMSN3 added 0.1% at $30,780.

Shanghai nickel SNIcv1 fell 2% to 126,150 yuan a ton, over one-month low, aluminium SAFcv1 slipped 0.6% to 19,435 yuan, zinc SZNcv1 dipped 0.1% at 23,655 yuan and tin SSNcv1 lost 1.6% to 251,750 yuan, lead SPBc1 shed 0.4% to 17,200 yuan.

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($1 = 7.1104 yuan)

Reporting by Siyi Liu and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Savio D'Souza

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