<div id="readability-page-1">May 15 (Reuters) - Copper eased on Friday, even as it looked set to log a second straight weekly gain, as investors weighed persistent supply risks against signs that high prices are starting to curb demand in top consumer China. On Friday, the benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.99% at $13,800 a metric ton as of 0305 GMT, while the most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange tumbled 1.45% to 106,060 yuan ($15,605.78) a ton. The London contract was up 1.23% so far this week, while SHFE copper rose 2.35%. The week saw both the London and Shanghai exchangeshit their highest levels in more than three months, as funds bought into concerns over mine supply and processing constraints. But the rally began to lose momentum on Thursday, as traders locked in profits and signs emerged that elevated prices were weighing on physical consumption in China. Downstream demand has softened as elevated copper prices curbed new orders, analysts at Chinese broker Jinrui Futures said. SHFE copper stocks are showing signs of accumulating. On-warrant copper stocks have started to rise since Tuesday, ending their prolonged decline since mid-March, totalling 97,011 tons on Thursday, up from 88,077 tons on Monday. Spot market indicators were also softer. The premium paid by Chinese copper buyers over SHFE prices has flipped into a discount, a sign that buyers are reluctant to chase prices higher. Meanwhile, rising oil prices, a stronger U.S. dollar and expectations that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates unchanged for longer due to sticky inflation remained key sources of pressure for copper and the broader industrial metals market. Base metals are tracing copper to move lower. Among other metals on the LME, aluminium and lead declined 0.74%, zinc eased 0.67%, nickel slid 0.79% and tin dropped 0.43%. Elsewhere on SHFE, aluminium lost 1.09%, zinc dipped 0.16%, lead dropped 0.54%, nickel tumbled 1.72% and tin slid 2.05%. Friday, May 15 DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 1000 EU Reserve Assets Total Apr 1315 US Industrial Production MM Apr ($1 = 6.7962 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Dylan Duan and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)</div>

CPER

COPX

COPJ

ICOP

COPP

Copper prices eased on Friday, down 0.99% at $13,800 per metric ton, despite a potential weekly gain. High prices are curbing demand in China, leading to a decline in new orders. SHFE copper stocks have started to rise, indicating increased supply. Other base metals also saw declines, influenced by rising oil prices and a stronger U.S. dollar.

METALS-Copper eases as high prices pinch demand; on track for weekly gain