MUMBAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Indian copper futures traded weak on Thursday as continuing recessionary fears took the sheen out of base metals, analysts said. At 5.49 p.m., benchmark February copper MCCG9 was down 0.75 percent at 177.6 rupees per kg. "There is a continuous flow of negative data from the major metal consuming countries. Metal demand is not expected to show any signs of pick-up until 2010," said an analyst with a Mumbai-based brokerage. Data showing private employers in the United States slashing 250,000 jobs in November, the most in seven years, heightened concerns about the health of the global economy and subsequent demand for metals. The dollar also weighed on prices after it rose against the euro supported by the length and breadth of a global recession, and after the Bank of England slashed interest rates by a full percentage point. [USD/] A strong dollar weighs on metal prices by making dollar-denominated commodities expensive for holders of other currencies. LME copper inventories jumped 200 tonnes to 292,975 tonnes, the highest level since early 2004, a reminder of weak demand for the metal. Selling was recommended at 180-181 rupees with a stop loss of 184 rupees and target of 173 rupees, said Dharmesh Bhatia, senior technical analyst with Kotak Commodity Services Ltd. LEAD, ZINC Prices of lead, the metal used in making batteries, rose on Thursday after falling more than 8 percent in the previous session, said Tejas Seth, senior research analyst with SMC Comtrade Ltd. At 5.50 p.m., the benchmark December lead MLDZ8 on the MCX was up 0.8 percent at 50.65 rupees per kg Zinc prices traded steady as a number of production cuts offset the pressure from slowing demand, analysts said. December zinc MZIZ8 was down 0.43 percent at 57.7 rupees. (Reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by )

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