* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns:
* Market watching U.S.-China trade talks (Updates with closing prices)By Pratima DesaiLONDON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Copper prices climbed on Thursdaytowards two-month highs hit last week as import data from topconsumer China suggested robust demand, while markets awaitedthe outcome of high-level Sino-U.S. trade talks in Beijing.Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange endedup 0.2 percent at $6,137 a tonne from an earlier $6,195. Theprice of the metal used as a gauge of economic health has gained7 percent since early January.
China's unwrought copper imports came in at 479,000 tonneslast month. That was up 14 percent from 420,000 tonnes inDecember and up 8.9 percent from 440,000 tonnes in January 2018,reaching the highest level since September. Overall, China's exports rose in January after a shockdecline in December, while imports fell less than expected, butanalysts said the strength was likely due to seasonal factorsand predicted renewed trade weakness ahead. "The Chinese economy is slowing down, people want to knowthe magnitude of that. They are waiting to see data on key areassuch as credit growth and infrastructure spending," saidPhilippos Kassimatis, partner at cross-asset advisory firm MavenGlobal.U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of imports from China arescheduled to rise to 25 percent from 10 percent if the two sidesfail to reach a deal by a March 1 deadline."Trade talks and the macro environment are focus points, soclearly the announcement that (U.S. President Donald) Trump wasconsidering delaying the March 1 deadline by 60 days should havea positive impact."
TRADE: Trade discussions in Beijing moved to a higher levelin a push to de-escalate a tariff war ahead of the deadline. "If you get a structural shift in the market due to apositive or negative outcome of the trade talks over the nextfew weeks, then momentum and volumes can pick up as CTAs willstart increasing positions," Kassimatis said.CTAs or commodity trading advisors use buy and sell signalsfrom numerical models to make trading decisions.CHINA: "Our base case reflects a soft landing in China,which is sufficient to support global demand growth at 1.6percent including China at 1.5 percent," Morgan Stanley analystssaid in a note."However, downside risk is limited - zero demand growthwould result in a balanced market. Given restricted supplygrowth, demand would have to turn negative before a significantsurplus would emerge."SPREAD: The discount for the cash against the three-monthcopper contract has narrowed to zero from $8 a tonne onWednesday. One company's holding of between 50 and 79 percent ofLME copper warrants has fuelled worry about tight supply.PRICES: Aluminium slipped 0.5 percent to $1,850,zinc ceded 0.2 percent to $2,591, lead rose 0.8percent to $2,037, tin fell 0.9 percent to $20,900 andnickel fell 1.6 percent to $12,200 a tonne.<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Tom Daly; Editing by Jan Harvey andDavid Evans)