* Copper stocks near 10-year lows
* Demand in China tends to pick up in second quarter
* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: (Updates with closing prices, Chalco)By Pratima DesaiLONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Copper prices hit a seven monthpeak on Wednesday as the market worried about low stocks aheadof seasonally strong demand in top consumer China, while risinghopes of an end to the U.S.-China trade dispute also lentsupport.Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange ended1.4 percent higher at $6,405 a tonne, its highest since July 10.Demand in China typically picks up in the second quarterahead of the third quarter when construction activity rises."Demand should pick up as we move into the second quarterand stocks are low. It could be quite an explosive mix," saidCiti analyst Oliver Nugent.
"Copper stocks have not built nearly as much as would havebeen expected so far this winter, meaning a lower base fromwhich to draw during the second quarter.Citi expects to see copper prices rise to $6,700 a tonneover the next three to six months.
STOCKS: Stocks of copper in London Metal Exchange warehousesstand at 139,500 tonnes, close to 10-year lows of 122,500 tonneshit in early December last year. This is a fraction of global demand estimated at around 24million tonnes. Nearly half of global consumption is accountedfor by China which is expected to further stimulate the economyusing monetary and fiscal policy tools.LOANS: A key indicator of future economic activity in Chinais new loans, which hit a record 3.23 trillion yuan ($481billion) in January as policymakers try to jumpstart sluggishinvestment and prevent a sharper slowdown. TRADE: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday talkswith China in Washington were going well and suggested he wasopen to extending the deadline to complete negotiations. Tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports arescheduled to rise to 25 percent from 10 percent by March 1 ifthere is no deal.POSITIONS: Large holdings of LME copper stocks, cash andtom/next contracts have fuelled worries about short-termavailability and boosted prices for nearby contracts.The premium for the cash over the three-month contract hit $58 a tonne on Monday, the highest since October. Itnow stands at $23.15 a tonne.The premium for tom/next, which normally trades at adiscount , hit $20 a tonne on Tuesday, its highestsince May last year. It is now around $2 a tonne.ALUMINIUM: Aluminum Corp of China Ltd , , known as Chalco, said it had proposed selling 190,000tonnes of annual aluminium smelting capacity to a Yunnan-basedunit of its parent, Chinalco, for 950 million yuan ($141million). PRICES: Aluminium finished 0.7 percent higher at$1,868 per tonne, zinc added 1.5 percent at $2,698, lead gained 1 percent to $2,040.50, tin added 0.4percent at $21,250 and nickel rose 1.8 percent at$12,905.
($1 = 6.7216 Chinese yuan renminbi)<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Pratima DesaiAdditional reporting by Peter HobsonEditing by Susan Fenton and Edmund Blair)