(Recasts to focus on rise in copper prices; updates prices by

Asian market close)

April 22 (Reuters) - Copper prices edged up on

Wednesday, as the dollar eased following U.S. President Donald

Trump's indefinite ceasefire extension with Iran that offered

cautious optimism to investors.

The benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal

Exchange gained 0.64% to $13,318 a metric ton, as of 0712 GMT.

The most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures

Exchange (SHFE) closed daytime trading up 0.29% at 102,640 yuan

($15,049.19) a ton.

The U.S. dollar index eased from a one-week high hit on

Tuesday. A weaker dollar makes greenback-denominated commodities

cheaper for investors using other currencies.

Doubts surrounding the Middle East peace process persisted

as it was unclear whether Iran or Israel would agree to the

ceasefire, while the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut.

Oil prices too were elevated, with Brent futures

hovering below $100 a barrel.

In the U.S., the Senate confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh,

Trump's pick for Federal Reserve chair, was also in focus.

Warsh, at the hearing on Tuesday, said he made no promises to

Trump to cut interest rates.

Higher U.S. interest rates pressure commodity prices, including

copper, by lifting the dollar.

Goldman Sachs ( GS ), meanwhile, kept its outlook for the 2026 copper

price, averaging $12,650 a ton while maintaining a surplus

forecast. The bank flagged risks to production due to a

sulphuric acid shortage.

Elsewhere, nickel rose after the SHFE opened its nickel futures

and options trading to overseas investors from Tuesday evening.

The most-active nickel contract gained 0.53% to

close at 141,540 yuan a ton, while the benchmark London nickel

gained 0.80% to $18,370.

Among other LME metals, aluminium gained 0.46%, zinc

dropped 0.32%, lead shed 0.20% and tin

gained 1.16%.

On SHFE, aluminium gained 0.24%, zinc rose

0.35%, lead lost 0.65% and tin dropped 0.24%.

($1 = 6.8203 Chinese yuan renminbi)