SINGAPORE, April 22 (Reuters) - China's implied copper demand 
rose about 5 percent in March versus February on the back of 
record high imports, data showed on Wednesday. 
    The world's biggest user of the metal consumed 621,325 tonnes 
of copper in March versus 591,000 tonnes in February, 
calculations based on trade data, output figures and Shanghai 
inventory numbers showed. 
Aluminium demand jumped 17.5 percent to over 1 million 
tonnes, while zinc consumption leapt by a third and lead use by 
more than 60 percent. 
    Apparent nickel consumption fell 4.4 percent, possibly 
reflecting continuing weakness in the stainless steel industry, 
while tin, a key ingredient in solder, rocketed 133 percent 
higher. 
    For a graphic showing Chinese copper demand and imports. 
click: 
 graphics.thomsonreuters.com 
     
 BASE METALS DEMAND     March       Feb     MO/MO        Pct Chg 
 Refined copper       621,325   591,009   +30,316          +5.1% 
 Primary aluminium  1,062,032   903,852  +158,180         +17.5% 
 Refined zinc         454,769   338,380  +116,389         +34.4% 
 Refined lead         360,175   221,510  +138,665         +62.6% 
 Refined nickel        28,074    29,382    -1,307          -4.4% 
 Refined Tin           13,067     5,621    +7,446        +132.5% 
  
 YEAR TO DATE         Jan-March       YR/YR    PCT CHG* 
 Refined copper       1,664,313    +471,710      +39.6% 
 Primary aluminium    2,848,320    -174,311       -5.8% 
 Refined zinc         1,046,758    +131,291      +14.3% 
 Refined lead           785,957    +204,426      +35.2% 
 Refined nickel          98,953     +10,131      +11.4% 
 Refined tin             25,667      -7,817      -23.3% 
  
 IMPORTS              March    Mo/Mo Pct     Jan-March Yr/Yr Pct 
 Refined copper      296,843       +9.6%       748,281    +92.3% 
 Primary aluminium    85,965     +579.5%       115,755   +255.4% 
 Refined zinc        121,027      +56.8%       210,730   +875.8% 
 Refined lead         25,370      +39.5%        48,320   +826.0% 
 Refined nickel       12,620       -0.6%        48,320     -7.7% 
 Refined tin           2,463     +124.9%         4,402    +17.8% 
  
 EXPORTS        
 Refined copper          342     +113.8%           782    -93.4% 
 Primary aluminium     1,683      -11.9%         3,677    -77.7% 
 Refined zinc            785      -62.6%         3,848    -82.3% 
 Refined lead            395      -66.6%         4,063    -81.8% 
 Refined nickel          609      +59.8%         1,189    -11.7% 
 Refined tin              10     +150.0%            49    -86.5% 
  
 ShFE STOCKS       April 2, 2009         Feb 26      CHANGE 
 Refined copper          22,908          28,332      -5,424 
 Primary aluminium      124,421         199,871     -75,450 
 Refined zinc            74,040          64,367      +9,673 
 SOURCE: Reuters calculations based on data from National Bureau 
of Statistics, China Customs Administration and the Shanghai 
Futures Exchange 
 (Reporting by Nick Trevethan; Editing by Michael Urquhart) 
 ((nicholas.trevethan@thomsonreuters.com; +65 6870 3822; Reuters 
Messaging: nicholas.trevethan.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 
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