Feb 21 (Reuters) - Copper prices extended gains on
Wednesday to hover near a two-week high, supported by a weaker
U.S. dollar and hopes of strong demand outlook in top metals
consumer China following Beijing's efforts to boost its economy
and property sector.
    Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange         was
up 0.4% at $8,532.50 per metric ton by 0235 GMT. In the previous
session, the contract hit its highest level since Feb. 2.
    The most-traded March copper contract on the Shanghai
Futures Exchange (SHFE)          rose 0.8% to 68,940 yuan 
($9,592.05) a ton.
    The dollar weakened broadly on Wednesday as it tracked a
global decline in bond yields. A weaker U.S. currency makes
dollar-priced metals less expensive for holders of other
currencies.       
    China announced its biggest reduction in the benchmark
mortgage rate on Tuesday, as authorities sought to prop up the
struggling property market and broader economy.
    The global refined copper market showed a 20,000-metric-ton 
surplus in December, compared with a 123,000-metric-ton deficit
in the prior month, the International Copper Study Group said in
its latest monthly bulletin.
    Meanwhile, LME aluminium         climbed 2.4% to a one-week
high of $2,247 a ton.
    Global primary aluminium output in January rose 2.4%
year-on-year to 6.039 million tons, according to data from the
International Aluminium Institute.
    LME nickel         gained 0.6% to $16,450 a ton, zinc
        was up 0.8% at $2,399, lead         increased 0.2% to
$2,053.00 and tin         rose 0.6% to $26,565.
    SHFE aluminium          edged 1.3% higher to 18,945 yuan a
ton, nickel          was steady at 127,180 yuan, tin          
rose 0.6% to 218,520 yuan, zinc          gained 0.2% to 20,380
yuan, while lead          was down 0.3% at 15,815 yuan.   
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DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
1500   EU   Consumer Confid. Flash   Feb
1900   US   Federal Open Market Committee issues minutes 
from its Jan. 30 – 31 meeting
    
    
  ($1 = 7.1872 Chinese yuan)

 (Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry
Jacob-Phillips)