London copper prices rose on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar softened on news about a potential COVID-19 vaccine, making the greenback-priced metals more attractive to holders of other currencies. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.2% to $6,946 a tonne by 0207 GMT, hovering near its highest since June 2018 hit on Monday at $7,054 a tonne. The dollar – which is considered a haven and so typically falls on positive news – was flat as investors remained optimistic about progress towards a COVID-19 vaccine. The most-traded December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange dipped 0.6% to 51,840 yuan ($7,855.62) a tonne. FUNDAMENTALS * LME aluminium rose 0.8% to $1,923.50 a tonne and ShFE aluminium climbed as much as 1% to 15,100 yuan a tonne, its highest since November 2017. * The discount of cash aluminium over the three-month contract <CMAL0-3> expanded to $20.20 a tonne, indicating that supply tightness has eased.