* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: (Adds closing prices, Zinc stocks)By Zandi ShabalalaLONDON, April 1 (Reuters) - Nickel prices ended higher onMonday after positive factory data from top steel producer Chinaraised hopes for higher demand, while inventories fell.Factory activity in China unexpectedly grew for the firsttime in four months in March, an official survey showed onSunday, suggesting government stimulus measures may be startingto take hold in the world's second-largest economy. Benchmark nickel rose 0.7 percent to $13,130 pertonne, having touching its highest since March 21 at $13,335."(The rise) seems to be because of the improved PMI numbersover the weekend," said Macquarie base metals strategistVivienne Lloyd.She said the Purchasing Managers' Index figures the previousmonth were exaggeratedly weak because of the timing of therelease and that Macquarie had expected better results in March.
STOCKS: On-warrant stocks of nickel available to the marketin LME-approved warehouses are at 114,738 tonnes,their lowest since 2012 and down 11 percent so far this year.
Inventories in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai FuturesExchange stood at 8,718 tonnes, having halved since the middleof November. But cash nickel on the LME is trading at a discount ofnearly $90 to the three-month contract , indicating stocklevels remain high.
"Stocks have been drawing for a while but the absolutelevels are still too high, especially when you compare it to theother metals," Macquarie's Lloyd said.NICKEL DEFICIT: Macquarie expects a deficit of 58,000 tonnesin the nickel market this year, compared to a shortage of243,000 tonnes in 2018.Global nickel demand is estimated at 2.4 million tonnes thisyear, the International Nickel Study Group said. Of that, abouttwo-thirds is destined for mostly Chinese stainless steel mills.SMELTERS: Japanese copper smelter Mitsubishi Materialsexpects to raise refined output by 1.4 percent betweenApril-September while its larger rival Sumitomo Metals forecast output of 420,000 tonnes in the 2019/20 financial year,7.7percent lower than a year earlier.RUSAL: Russian aluminium giant Rusal has resumedsupplies to the U.S. market and aims to win back customers itlost due to sanctions by about September when the industry sealssupply contracts for 2020, its chief executive said. ZINC TIGHT: Headline stocks of zinc fell to51,275 tonnes, the lowest since at least 1998, keeping thepremium of the cash zinc over the three-month contract at alofty $62.50.Zinc ended 0.3 percent higher at $2,933 per tonne,having touched its highest since June at $2,958.PRICES: LME copper gained 0.2 percent to $6,471 pertonne, aluminium fell 0.7 percent to $1,900, lead ended 0.2 percent higher at $2,021 while tin inched 0.4 percent higher to $21,475.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen in SINGAPORE; Editing byDale Hudson/David Evans)