July 16 (Reuters) -Copper prices fell on Tuesday, weighed down by weak economic data from top consumer China and rising inventories in most global warehouses.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) CMCU3 fell 0.2% to $9,791 per metric ton by 0323 GMT, while the most-traded August copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) SCFcv1 declined 0.4% to 79,300 yuan ($10,914.90) a ton.

Copper inventories in LME-approved warehouses, Comex warehouses, bonded warehouses in China as well as warehouses designated by the Shanghai International Energy Exchange all increased so far in July, pointing to weak demand.

Meanwhile, China's economy grew much slower than expected in the second quarter, painting a weak demand picture as China accounts for around half of copper demand annually.

However, the data kept alive expectations that Beijing will need to unleash even more stimulus.

Speculative interest in copper also improved, evidenced by fund managers holding a net long position of 43,403 contracts on the CME copper contract as of July 8, the first increase since May 20 when copper hit record high price.

Meanwhile, copper demand in China has stablised in recent weeks, as shown by the premium to import the metal last at $3 a ton, compared to a discount of as low as $15 in May.

LME aluminium CMAL3 eased 0.3% to $2,454.50 a ton, zinc CMZN3 edged down 0.3% at $2,946.50, tin CMSN3 shed 0.3% to $33,150, while nickel CMNI3 rose 0.4% to $16,770, and lead CMPB3 edged up 0.1% at $2,190.

SHFE aluminium SAFcv1 fell 1.1% to 19,820 yuan a ton, nickel SNIcv1 declined 0.8% to 133,450 yuan, tin SSNcv1 shed 0.5% to 273,190 yuan, while zinc SZNcv1 rose 0.3% to 24,320 yuan and lead SPBcv1 was up 0.8% at 19,750 yuan.

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Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Rashmi Aich

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