TOKYO: Japanese rubber futures rose on Thursday for the first time in three days, after a report showed that sentiment among big manufacturing companies had rebounded to levels before the pandemic.

Osaka Exchange’s rubber contract for September delivery finished 3.7 yen, or 1.5%, higher at 245.4 yen per kg.

The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for May delivery fell 5 yuan to end the day at 13,850 yuan per tonne.

Japanese big manufacturers’ sentiment improved to pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter while companies stepped up capital spending plans, suggesting the export-reliant economy was benefiting from a solid recovery in global demand.