Dec 27 (Reuters) - Base metals in China were mostly lower in thin trade on Monday, with the London Metal Exchange closed for the Christmas holiday and uncertainty around the Omicron COVID-19 variant dampening risk sentiment. Analysts expect metal prices to remain mostly rangebound for the rest of the year as many investors have taken a break until after the New Year holidays. Caution also prevailed as market participants awaited fresh clues on how the rapidly spreading Omicron variant would affect global demand. The LME will remain shut on Tuesday as well, for the Boxing Day holiday. * The most-traded February aluminium contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was down 1.2% at 19,920 yuan ($3,127.40) a tonne, as of 0255 GMT, extending its losses after scaling a seven-week peak on Dec. 23. * Profits at China"s industrial firms grew at a much slower pace in November, official data on Monday showed, pressured by tumbling prices of some raw materials, a faltering property market and weaker consumer demand. read more * The Omicron variant has prompted the cancellation of thousands of flights in the United States as COVID-19 thinned out the number of available crews, while several cruise ships had to cancel stops after outbreaks on board. read more * A Japanese aluminium buyer has agreed to pay a global producer a premium of $177 per tonne over the benchmark price for shipments in January to March, down 20% from the current quarter, two sources directly involved in the pricing talks said on Friday. * For the top stories in metals and other news, click or MARKETS NEWS * Asian stock markets were generally weaker with U.S. crude in holiday-thinned trading on Monday, as uncertainty over the economic impact of the Omicron variant weighed on investor sentiment. read more PRICES Three month LME copper Most active ShFE copper Three month LME aluminium Most active ShFE aluminium Three month LME zinc Most active ShFE zinc Three month LME lead Most active ShFE lead Three month LME nickel Most active ShFE nickel Three month LME tin Most active ShFE tin ARBS ($1 = 6.3695 yuan)