SHANGHAI, Jul. 15 (SMM) – LME lead prices started last Friday at USD 2,075.8/mt, and dipped to USD 2,050/mt due to the strengthening US dollar. Later, the University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index was reported at 83.9, below the 84.1 expected but still at high level. Meanwhile, different views of chairman of Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on easing policies did not exert great influence on the US dollar. However, as the Fitch cut credit rating for France from “AAA” to “AA+”, the euro slipped but regained the losses later. In this context, LME lead prices finally closed at USD 2,067/mt, down USD 3.8/mt. Trading volumes were down 4,423 lots to 2,871 lots, and positions increased 754 lots. LME lead inventories fell 550 mt to 193,825 mt.