SHANGHAI, Jul. 10 (SMM) – LME lead prices started at USD 2,068/mt Tuesday and remained under resistance during Asian trading hours due to the weak CPI and PPI data for China. Later, the UK industrial output and trade account were both reported worse than expected, while S&P cut rating for Italy from BBB+ to BBB, driving the euro to hit a four month low. The US dollar climbed to a three-year high of 84.75. LME lead prices thus dipped as low as USD 2,023.5/mt before closing at USD 2,041/mt, down USD 32.8/mt or 1.58%. Trading volumes increased 1,983 lots to 5,023 lots, while positions were up 305 lots. LME lead inventories fell 200 mt to 195,975 mt.