* GRAPHIC-2020 asset returns:
* Low LME inventories cap copper's losses
* Copper still close to two-year high (Updates prices)By Zandi ShabalalaLONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Copper prices were steady inchoppy trade on Thursday as high levels of U.S. unemploymenttook the steam out of a dollar rally a day after an upbeatreading of economic recovery in the world's top economy.Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME)was up 0.1% at $6,786 a tonne by 1727 GMT, having touched a lowof $6,676 in the session. This was still close to a two-yearhigh of $6,830 touched on Sept. 1.Sucden Financial Head of Research Geordie Wilkes said copperwas well supported around $6,675 a tonne, adding that followingchoppy trading overnight some metals had recovered.Data showing high levels of U.S. weekly jobless claimshalted a rally in the dollar that was initially triggered by theU.S. Federal Reserve saying it expects economic growth toimprove faster than previously forecast. Copper and other commodities priced in the dollar aresensitive to its movements. A weaker greenback makes thoseassets cheaper for non-U.S. firms, a relationship used by fundsto generate buy and sell signals. TRADE: Investment between the United States and Chinatumbled to a nine-year low in the first half of 2020, hit bybilateral tensions that could pressure more Chinese companies todivest U.S. operations, a research report said. "U.S.-China tensions will likely have an impact on metalsmarkets going forward and could flare up even more after the U.Selection as both candidates have said they want to limit China'sinfluence in the world," Commerzbank's Briesemann said.STOCKS: On-warrant inventories of copper in LME-registeredwarehouses were at 46,700 tonnes, near their lowest since March2019. The premium for cash copper over the three-month contractwas last at $26 a tonne, indicating tight nearby supply.OTHER METALS: Zinc eased 0.6% to $2,513, snapping afour-session winning streak. Aluminium fell 0.7% to$1,783 a tonne, lead gained 0.3% to $1,901, tin was down 1% to $18,100 and nickel lost 1.1% to $15,065.
(Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; Editing by David Goodman andMark Potter)