Nov 11 (Reuters) - London copper prices rose on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar softened on news about a potential COVID-19 vaccine, making the greenback-priced metals more attractive to holders of other currencies.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.2% to $6,946 a tonne by 0207 GMT, hovering near its highest since June 2018 hit on Monday at $7,054 a tonne.

The dollar - which is considered a safe haven and so typically falls on positive news - was flat as investors remained optimistic about progress towards a COVID-19 vaccine.

The most-traded December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange dipped 0.6% to 51,840 yuan ($7,855.62) a tonne.

FUNDAMENTALS

* LME aluminium rose 0.8% to $1,923.50 a tonne and ShFE aluminium climbed as much as 1% to 15,100 yuan a tonne, its highest since November 2017.

* The discount of cash aluminium over the three-month contract expanded to $20.20 a tonne, indicating that supply tightness has eased.

* Copper cathode output at China's 22 copper smelters fell 5.4% on-year in October to 741,900 tonnes due to maintenance at two major plants, research house Antaike said.

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MARKETS NEWS

* Asian shares rose as hopes for a successful coronavirus vaccine lifted expectations of a swift reopening of the global economy, which would help the region's heavily trade-dependent markets.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

No major data/events expected on Wednesday

PRICES

Three month LME copper

Most active ShFE copper

Three month LME aluminium

Most active ShFE aluminium

Three month LME zinc

Most active ShFE zinc

Three month LME lead

Most active ShFE lead

Three month LME nickel

Most active ShFE nickel

Three month LME tin

Most active ShFE tin

ARBS ($1 = 6.5991 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)