NEW YORK, Dec 10 (Reuters) - U.S. copper futures rallied early Wednesday, driven higher with other metals as the dollar fell against the euro and as investors anticipated a bailout plan for U.S. automakers would help demand, traders said. For detailed report on global copper markets, click on [MET/L] * Copper for March delivery HGH9 jumped 4.30 cents, or 2.98 percent, to $1.4860 per lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division at 10:24 a.m. (1524 GMT). * The session range remained contained between $1.4250 and $1.4970. * Investors found value after copper hit lows dating back to May 2005 late last week - traders. * Chartists see copper consolidating last week's decline to 3-1/2-year lows - analysts. * Technicians would need to see copper traveling around its current range for several weeks to think a bottom was set - analysts. * COMEX estimated futures volume at 2,672 lots by 9 a.m. EST. Final volume on Monday hit 14,521 lots. * Open interest rose by 285 lots to 69,676 contracts open as of Dec. 8. * The dollar's decline to a two-week low against the euro helped bolster copper prices. [USD/] * Copper was also boosted by the prospect of a pick-up in demand if a deal to help U.S. automakers goes through. * The White House and congressional Democrats reached a deal in principle on a $15 billion plan to bail out auto firms, with officials saying the House of Representatives could vote on it as early as Wednesday. [ID:nN09294627] * Elsewhere, a senior analyst at a German bank said he sees global 2009 consumption of copper likely to remain stable at 2008 levels despite world economic slowing. [ID:nLA675963]. * In China, imports of unwrought copper and semi-finished copper products fell 6 percent on the month in November, flipping to a downward trend after an unexpected 8 percent bounce in October. [ID:nHK162310] * But, Beijing may consider buying base metals, including copper, as reserves to boost demand. Yunnan province has a similar plan. [ID:nHKG255798] * Saddled with nearly $40 billion in net debt, Rio Tinto said it would slash capital spending by more than one-half and sell more assets as it battles commodity price declines. [ID:nSP365347] * Copper steadied in London after rising more than 2 percent earlier in the session, supported by a weaker dollar and better sentiment on hopes of a deal to bailout U.S. automakers. [ID:nLA452408] * LME copper for three-month delivery MCU3 jumped to $3,255 a tonne from $3,000 a tonne at Tuesday's kerb close. * London Metal Exchange copper warehouse stocks moved up 1,025 tonnes to 303,600 tonnes on Wednesday. * COMEX copper stocks went up by 1,193 short tons to 18,306 short tons as of Tuesday. (Reporting by Carole Vaporean; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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