Tokyo rubber futures slip

The benchmark Tokyo rubber futures contract inched lower on Friday on profit-taking ahead of the weekend after prices rallied to a fresh 5-month high, but firm oil prices helped limit losses, dealers said. The newly launched benchmark contract on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange for August delivery slipped 0.8 yen lower to settle at 339.9 yen ($4.24) per kg.
The benchmark rose to an intra-day high of 341.8 yen, the highest since September 2011, before profit-taking set in. Other contracts rose between 0.3 and 2.2 yen. The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for May delivery was down 20 yuan to finish at 29,215 yuan ($4,600) per tonne.