NEW YORK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - U.S. copper futures added to the losses they posted on Monday as gains in the dollar and the economic slowdown continued to plague the industrial metal on Tuesday, traders said. But trade was light and buying of U.S. equities provided a solid underpinning, they noted. For detailed report on global copper markets, click on [MET/L] * Copper for March delivery HGH9 was down 1.10 cent, or 0.67 percent, at $1.62 per lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division. * March held to a narrow range from $1.5750, its lowest price since last Monday, to $1.6310 per lb. * COMEX estimated March volume at 5,679 lots by 10:42 a.m. EST (1542 GMT). * By 10:00 a.m., total copper trade came to a paltry 5,246 lots. * Copper continued to be sold as the dollar held strong and economic recovery seemed a long way off - traders. * "Copper is still an economic play. Right now the economy is not showing any signs of recovery. So I still think copper is a short trade." -- Zachary Oxman, senior trader at Wisdom Financial. * Rallying U.S. stocks limited the downside in copper prices - traders. * Bargain hunters snapped up beaten-down U.S. shares after Monday's steep sell-off. [.N] * U.S. stock indexes also received a boost from upbeat comments from beleaguered U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co (F.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). * Ford said it expects to break even or be profitable in 2011. [ID:nN02193699] * London Metal Exchange warehouse stocks jumped by 1,825 tonnes to 293,025 tonnes. Inventory levels are running about 50 percent higher than in September and are at their highest since January 2004. * Benchmark LME copper for three-month delivery MCU3 slipped to $3,551 a tonne, down from Monday's kerb close of $3,590 a tonne. (Reporting by Carole Vaporean; editing by Jim Marshall)

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