April 30 (Reuters) - Zinc prices in London were set on Tuesday for the best monthly gain since 2006, driven by tightness of supply and funds buying into the base metals sector.

Three-month zinc on the London Metal Exchange (LME) advanced 0.7% to $2,965 per metric ton by 0258 GMT. The contract was up 21.5% on a monthly basis, on track for the best gain since October 2006.

The most-traded June zinc contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) climbed 3.1% to 23,570 yuan ($3,254.40) a ton, having hit 23,715 yuan earlier in the session, the highest since December 2022. It was up 12.7% on a monthly basis.

"Traders report robust discussions amid concerns of tight (zinc concentrate) supplies. Available cargoes are relatively scarce as smelters ramp up production," ANZ analysts said in a note.

LME copper rose 0.5% to $10,189.50 a ton, nickel advanced 0.5% to $19,250, tin climbed 1% to $32,900, while aluminium eased 0.2% to $2,585, and lead was almost unchanged at $2,229.50.

SHFE copper rose 1.8% to 82,130 yuan a ton, lead edged up 0.3% at 17,305 yuan, tin advanced 1.4% to 263,290 yuan while aluminium eased 0.2% to 20,595 yuan and nickel edged down 0.2% at 143,300 yuan.

Base metals have received inflows of investment funds in recent weeks that seek to hedge against inflation and on bets of improving economic growth and long-term metal demand prospects from the renewable and electric vehicle sectors.

On a monthly basis, LME copper was up 14.8% and SHFE copper was up 13.2%, both set for the best month since February 2021.

For the top stories in metals and other news, click or

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0530 France GDP Preliminary QQ Q1

0645 France CPI (EU Norm) Prelim YY April

0645 France Producer Prices YY March

0755 Germany Unemployment Rate, Chg SA April

0800 Germany GDP Flash QQ SA, YY NSA Q1

0900 EU HICP Flash YY April

0900 EU HICP-X F, E, A&T Flash MM, YY April

0900 EU GDP Flash Prelim YY, QQ Q1

1400 US Consumer Confidence April

-- US Federal Open Market Committee starts its

two-day meeting on interest rates

($1 = 7.2425 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)