* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: (Updates with closing prices)By Eric OnstadLONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - Nickel prices hit a two-monthlow on Tuesday on signs of rising supply while the wider marketalso fell on a stronger dollar and uncertainty about the Chineseeconomy.Data showed the deficit in the global nickel market for thefirst two months of the year narrowed sharply to 5,700 tonnes,down from 24,400 tonnes in the same period last year. "I can see why nickel is under a bit of pressure. The datais still showing a deficit, but it's well below what we've seenover the last couple of years. And nickel ore prices are down tothe lowest levels in over a year," said Colin Hamilton, directorof commodities research at BMO Capital in London."Chinese NPI (nickel pig iron) production is up this year sowe are getting decent amounts of supply growth coming through."Benchmark nickel on the London Metal Exchange (LME)was down 2.1 percent at $12,390 a tonne by 1600 GMT, the lowestsince Feb. 19.Nickel has shed 8 percent since touching a six-month peak inearly March but is still the best performing LME metal so farthis year with a gain of 18 percent.
The LME reopened on Tuesday after the long Easter weekend.
* CHINESE STIMULUS: Metals markets felt the chill fromChinese shares, which on Monday extended sharp declines from theprevious session on the possibility that Beijing could slow thepace of policy easing after a stronger than expected economicperformance."People are worried that the accommodative policy may facean end," said Shanghai-based copper analyst He Tianyu of metalsconsultants CRU.
* DOLLAR: The dollar index touched its highest sinceJune 2017. A stronger dollar makes metals priced in thegreenback more expensive for buyers using other currencies.
* CHINA SCRAP: China's scrap copper imports in March fell 54percent from a year ago to 100,000 tonnes, the second-lowestmonthly figure in records since June 2014. Three-month LME copper shed 1.1 percent to trade at$6,407 a tonne in closing open-outcry trading.
* ALUMINIUM: LME aluminium found support after China'senvironment ministry reprimanded provincial officials inShandong, the country's biggest aluminium-producing province,for failing to curb the growth of highly polluting aluminiumoutput. Aluminium edged down 0.1 percent to trade at $1,866 atonne in closing rings after touching its highest in more thantwo weeks at $1,886.
* ALUMINIUM OUTPUT: Global primary aluminium output rose to5.414 million tonnes in March from a revised 4.916 milliontonnes in February, data showed.
* ZINC SPREADS: The premium of cash zinc over thethree-month contract was last at $100 a tonne, closeto a four-month high, showing low availability of supplies inLME-approved warehouses.
* PRICES: LME zinc gave up 0.7 percent to close at$2,748 a tonne, lead dropped 1.2 percent to $1,917 andtin fell 1.7 percent to $19,890, its weakest since Jan.8.
* For the top stories in metals and other news, click or <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen in Singapore; Editing byMark Potter and David Goodman)
Reuters Messaging: eric.onstad.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))