SINGAPORE: Japanese rubber futures posted their fourth straight weekly gain, even as the market closed slightly lower on Friday as pressure from a stronger yen outweighed support from higher oil prices.
The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for March delivery closed down 0.3 yen, or 0.07%, at 399.8 yen ($2.73) per kg. The contract gained 1.99% this week.
The Shanghai Futures Exchange is closed from Oct. 1-7 for China’s National Day holiday. Trading will resume on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda’s efforts to lift rock-bottom borrowing costs face fresh challenges as a yen rebound and the new political leadership’s preference for loose monetary policy raise the hurdle for rate hikes.
The yen rose 0.5% against the dollar, but remained close to a more than six-week low hit a day earlier. A stronger Japanese currency makes yen-denominated assets less affordable to overseas buyers.
Oil prices were little changed, but remained on track for strong weekly gains, as investors weighed the prospect of a wider Middle East conflict disrupting crude flows against an amply supplied global market. Natural rubber often takes direction from oil prices as it competes for market share with synthetic rubber, which is made from crude oil. Top rubber producer Thailand’s meteorological agency warned of heavy rains that may cause flash flood from Oct. 4-10. European Union members face a pivotal vote on Friday on whether to impose tariffs of up to 45% on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the bloc’s highest profile trade case, which risks retaliation from Beijing. Automobile sales could influence the intensity of automobile manufacturing, which involves using rubber-made tyres.
The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange’s SICOM platform for November delivery last traded at 202.3 US cents per kg, up 1.0%.
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