Jan 16 (Reuters) - Prices of most base metals dropped on Tuesday, weighed down by a stronger U.S. dollar and concerns over future demand after top consumer China skipped an expected rate cut.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.6% at $8,332.50 per metric ton by 0356 GMT, while the most-traded March copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange eased 0.1% to 67,760 yuan ($9,432.73) a ton.

The dollar climbed as hawkish remarks from central bankers tempered expectations for interest rate cuts, making greenback-priced metals more expensive to holders of other currencies.

"Investors need to acknowledge that 2024 could be the first year, since 2020, to witness a synchronized slowdown in most major economies. Bearish bets would rise on metals from funds who want to play the macro slowdown story," said Sandeep Daga, a director at Metal Intelligence Centre.

"Most (U.S.) data released so far this year show that the (macroeconomic bearishness) undercurrent is hotter than investors thought. This is set to bring an adjustment in investors' expectations by way of dollar strength," said Daga.

Meanwhile, China's central bank left the medium-term policy rate unchanged on Monday, defying market expectations for a cut.

LME nickel fell 0.5% to $16,130 a ton, lead dipped 0.5% to $2,098.50, tin edged 0.1% higher to $24,825, zinc was flat at $2,558.50 and aluminium edged down 0.3% at $2,199.

SHFE nickel dropped 1.1% to 126,300 yuan, lead edged down 0.1% to 16,195 yuan, while tin advanced 0.6% to 209,540 yuan.

SHFE aluminium fell 0.8% to 18,790 yuan a ton, having hit a four-week low of 18,780 yuan earlier in the session and on track for a fourth straight daily loss.

SHFE zinc rose 0.8% to 21,290 yuan. It hit the highest level since Jan. 4 at 21,400 yuan earlier in the session, tracking London's overnight gains on Nyrstar's suspension plan for its zinc smelting operations in the Netherlands.

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($1 = 7.1835 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)