NEW YORK, July 16 (Reuters) - U.S. copper futures were soft in early trade Thursday, consolidating Wednesday's rally to one-month highs and holding at slightly lower levels despite strong growth figures from China, the world's top copper consumer. For detailed report on global copper markets, click on [MET/L] * Copper for September delivery HGU9 eased 0.50 cent to $2.3870 a lb by 10:14 a.m. EDT (1414 GMT) on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division. * Range from $2.3570 to $2.41 -- its highest level since June 12. * COMEX estimated futures volume at 5,571 lots by 9 a.m. * Copper steadies in profit-taking pause to strong weekly rally that saw prices climb over 10 percent to a fresh one-month peak above $2.40 per lb - Larry Young, senior trader at Infinity Futures Inc. in Chicago. * Extremely bullish W-formation on the charts - Young. * Initial resistance in September copper at $2.45. Support seen at $2.1860 - Young. * Copper under additional morning pressure after data showed factory activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region contract for a 10th consecutive month in July - The Philadelphia Federal reserve Bank [ID:nN16406468] * Copper's losses slowed by global recovery hopes after data showed China's economy grew faster than forecast in the second quarter. * China's annual gross domestic product growth accelerated in the second quarter to 7.9 percent from 6.1 percent in the first quarter - the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) [ID:nBJC000381] [ID:nSP537580] * The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week to their lowest level since January. [ID:nN15341123] * Indonesia has increased security near Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's (FCX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) giant Grasberg mine following a wave of attacks in the area in Papua, where secessionists have waged a low-level insurgency for decades. [ID:nJAK518718] * London Metal Exchange warehouse stocks down 225 tonnes at at 260,875 tonnes on Thursday. * COMEX copper stocks CMWSU flat at 59,251 short tons as of Wednesday. * Global copper market in a surplus of 90,000 tonnes in the January to May period, compared with a deficit of 170,000 tonnes in the same period in 2008 - the World Bureau of Metal Statistics (WBMS). [ID:nL711666] * LME copper for three-months delivery MCU3 last traded at $5,235 a tonne, down $28 from Wednesday's kerb close. * Copper prices to climb to an average $5,135 a tonne in 2010, driven by Chinese demand and growing optimism in the economic recovery - Reuters poll. [ID:nSP489606] (Reporting by Chris Kelly; Editing by John Picinich)

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