Key Tokyo rubber futures eased on Friday, as investors took profits amid a drop in oil prices while awaiting key US jobs data due later in the day to gauge the outlook for the US economy. The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for December delivery fell 4.5 yen or 1.2 percent to settle at 379.4 yen per kg.
Despite the decline, the contract ended the week up 3 percent for its first weekly gain in about a month. The most active Shanghai rubber contract for January delivery rose 165 yuan to close at 34,345 yuan ($5,311.798) per tonne on Friday. Volume picked up to 722,946 lots from Thursday's 549,814 lots.
Traders said while they expected TOCOM to remain supported by the prospect of future growth in demand for automobiles in emerging countries, especially China, economic data from China and the United States would determine the near-term market direction. Ongoing concerns over the debt crisis in Europe could also weigh on prices, they said.
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