Nov 9 (Reuters) - Prices of most base metals fell on Thursday as uncertainty in the economic recovery in China, the world's biggest metals consumers, weighed on sentiment.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.5% to $8,098 per metric ton by 0354 GMT, while the most-traded December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange declined 0.5% to 67,030 yuan ($9,203.12) a ton.

China's consumer prices swung back into contraction and factory-gate deflation persisted in October as domestic demand struggled, weighing on the outlook for any broad-based recovery in the world's second-largest economy.

Earlier data showed a mixed picture of Chinese economic performance. Manufacturing activities and exports slowed in October, but imports unexpectedly grew, with copper imports hitting a 10-month high.

"A continued rebound in copper prices may require substantial improvement in the economy," said Jinrui Futures in a note.

Sentiment was also cautious as traders and investors eyed developments in troubled Chinese property giant Country Garden . The real estate sector is one of the biggest consumers of metals.

LME aluminium eased 0.2% to $2,258 a ton, nickel declined 0.6% to $17,990, zinc shed 0.4% to $2,600.50, lead was almost flat at $2,190, and tin was down 0.6% at $24,740.

SHFE aluminium fell 0.4% to 19,150 yuan a ton, while nickel rose 1.7% to 141,540 yuan, zinc edged up 0.2% at 21,665 yuan, lead increased 0.2% to 16,495 yuan, and tin advanced 0.2% to 210,010 yuan.

The LME cash lead contract was traded at a 60-cent-a-ton premium over the three-month contract , down from a $64 premium in late October, as inventory climbed to 133,050 tons, the highest since December 2020.

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

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0800 EU EU finance ministers meet likely to continue

discussions of changes to the EU debt and

deficit rules

1330 US Initial Jobless Clm Weekly

($1 = 7.2834 yuan) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)