(Adds London dateline, analyst comment; updates prices)

LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Copper fell on Thursday,

giving up some gains from the previous session as rising

inventories and subdued demand due to the ​holiday in top metals

consumer China weighed on ‌prices.

Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal

Exchange edged down 0.7% to $12,816 a metric ⁠ton as of 1010 GMT,

after a 2.3% jump on Wednesday. ⁠The Shanghai Futures Exchange is

closed until February 23 ‌for Lunar New ‌Year, with Chinese

traders largely out of the market.

"It's really difficult to read too ​much into the price

action this week," ‌said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy

at Saxo Bank. "We need to get China back and see what ​happens

then, both on the speculative ​and also ‌on the physical demand in

the following weeks."

The dollar dipped but held above its recent lows after

minutes from the U.S. ⁠Federal Reserve showed policymakers did

not seem to be in ⁠a rush to cut interest rates and that several

were open to hikes if inflation proved sticky.

A weaker U.S. dollar makes greenback-priced metals more

affordable for holders of other currencies.

Copper stocks in LME-approved ⁠warehouses meanwhile ‌increased by another 925 tons to 225,575 tons, ‌the

highest since March 2025.

While high stocks were weighing on prices, ⁠copper was being

propped up by technicals, Hansen explained. "Since last August,

every time we have come down the 50-day moving average has been

giving support," he said, adding that the support level was

currently at $12,670.

In other metals, zinc fell 0.3% to $3,342.50 a ton

and aluminium shed 0.7% to $3,067, after breaking a

four-day ​losing streak on Wednesday. Lead edged up 0.1%

to $1,965, nickel nudged up 0.6% to $17,375 and tin

was up 0.5% at $46,120.