Copper prices were stable on Thursday as a stronger dollar and rising stockpiles offset hopes of improved demand in top metals consumer China following recent price drops and supply concerns.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was flat at $9,789 per metric ton in official open-outcry trading. The contract has been largely range-bound since June 10.

China left its key benchmark lending rates unchanged on Thursday as Beijing's monetary easing efforts continue to be limited by narrowing interest rate margins and a weakening currency. The country's central bank, however, said it would stick to a supportive monetary policy stance.

"Copper is holding steady today with the market weighing prospects of additional support measures to boost China's economy," said ING commodities analyst Ewa Manthey.

The metal will remain under pressure in the short-term unless the Chinese government unveils sustained stimulus measures, she added.

Meanwhile, copper stockpiles in LME-registered warehouses rose to 161,925 tons, their highest since Jan. 4, after delivery of 3,450 tons, daily LME data showed.

Buoyed by expected demand from the green energy transition, copper hit a record high of $11,104.50 on May 20.

Since then, prices have been weighed by sluggish data from China and uncertainty over interest rates. They touched a two-month low of $9,551 on Tuesday.

The recent price decline drew some orders from end-users, leading to a drawdown in domestic spot stockpiles, China's Jinrui Futures said.

China's May copper cathode imports rose 17% year on year to 324,530 tons.

LME aluminium added 0.4% to $2,508 a ton in official activity. Global primary aluminium output rose 3.4% year on year to 6.1 million tons in May, according to the International Aluminium Institute.

Zinc fell 0.2% to $2,862, lead declined 0.8% to $2,181, tin jumped 1.4% to $32,825 and nickel climbed 0.3% to $17,425.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt in London; additional reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi; editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter)