(Reuters is considering ending its daily metals/softs pre-opening report on Monday April 16 and is soliciting feedback from subscribers. Please send comments and feedback about the move to Josephine Mason at josephine.mason@thomsonreuters.com) NEW YORK, April 10 (Reuters) - U.S. copper prices were higher but below early peaks after U.S. jobless claims for last week were reported at their highest since January. Gold slipped for a second session even as the dollar declined after the U.S. data and fears re-emerged about the shaky euro zone economy. FUNDAMENTALS * Gold eased for a second day in a row on Thursday, but was still set for its largest weekly gain in six weeks, thanks to the toll the re-emergence of the euro zone debt crisis has taken on investor risk appetite. * Spot gold was down 0.19 percent at $1,654.09 an ounce by 1225 GMT. * COMEX benchmark June futures were off 0.32 percent at $1,655 an ounce by 8:45 EDT (1245 GMT). * Copper rose more than 1 percent as risk appetite improved and the euro strengthened after a European Central Bank official suggested the bank was ready to purchase more debt, easing some worries about a debt crisis affecting the euro zone. * Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange traded at $8,112.25, up $35.75 or 0.44 percent, but off the official price of $8,145, which was up more than 1 percent from a close of $8,040 on Wednesday. * May copper rose 0.87 percent to $3.67 per lb. MARKETS * European shares and the euro came under pressure as concerns grew over a revival of the euro debt crisis following a jump in Italy's borrowing costs. * Crude oil held steady despite higher oil production by OPEC powerhouse Saudi Arabia. ECONOMY * Federal Reserve releases its Beige Book report at 2 pm EDT (1800 GMT). Prices at 8:44 a.m. EDT (1243 GMT) LAST NET PCT YTD CHG CHG CHG US gold 1655.20 -5.00 -0.3% 5.6% US silver 31.535 0.014 0.0% 13.0% US platinum 1587.40 3.10 0.2% 13.4% US palladium 639.05 2.45 0.4% -2.6% US copper 367.05 3.10 0.8% 6.8% (Reporting by Josephine Mason)

Source