* Copper supported by large hedge funds, traders * Euro steady after forecast of crucial loan to Athens * Market still jittery about Greek debt fallout * Coming up: Eurozone Eurostat trade nsa, Apr; 0900 GMT (Updates prices, add quotes and details) By Carrie Ho SHANGHAI, June 17 (Reuters) - London copper edged up on Friday on a weaker dollar, after news that a crucial loan may be released to Athens next month lent support to the euro. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange lifted 0.09 percent to $9,057 at a tonne by 0738 GMT, after losing almost 1 percent in the last session. The most-active August copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SCFcv1 also rose 0.3 percent to 68,330 yuan per tonne. "Copper prices are largely directed by movements in the dollar today. Also, we hear of large hedge funds buying up copper lately," said a Singapore-based trader. The dollar retreated against a basket of currencies while the euro was steadier in Asia on Friday. The single currency had a rollercoaster ride in the past 24 hours that saw it slump to a record low on the Swiss franc, before staging a rebound as the market reacted to headlines about Greece's debt crisis. In a statement intended to soothe markets, the European Union's top economic official, Olli Rehn, said on Thursday he expected the EU and the International Monetary Fund to release a crucial 12 billion euro loan tranche in early July to keep Athens afloat. Germany's banking association on Thursday warned that a disorderly restructuring of Greek debt could lead to contagion in the markets and reiterated that banks were willing to make a private sector contribution. U.S. stocks and oil also pulled back from the brink of another sell-off on Thursday, as investors awaited signs the international community could prevent Greece from defaulting on its debt. Base metals prices at 0738 GMT Metal Last Change Pct Move YTD pct chg LME Cu 9057.00 -8.00 -0.09 -5.66 SHFE CU FUT AUG1 68330 180 +0.26 -4.90 LME Alum 2542.00 -13.00 -0.51 2.91 SHFE AL FUT AUG1 16935 35 +0.21 0.56 HG COPPER JUL1 409.25 -0.40 -0.61 -7.82 LME Zinc 2213.75 8.25 +0.37 -9.79 SHFE ZN FUT AUG1 17125 -65 -0.38 -12.07 LME Nickel 21650.00 45.00 +0.21 -12.53 LME Lead 2476.00 -5.00 -0.20 -2.90 SHFE PB FUT 16620 -75 -0.45 -9.43 LME Tin 24920.00 15.00 +0.06 -7.36 LME/Shanghai arb 569 Shanghai and COMEX contracts show most active months ^ LME 3-m copper in yuan, including 17 pct VAT, minus SHFE third month Shanghai lead launched on March 24 (Reporting by Carrie Ho; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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