Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures rose for a second day on Thursday, lifted by a softer yen and short-covering as some calm returned to the Chinese stock market after Beijing moved to ease policy this week, dealers said. The Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for February delivery finished 1.1 yen, or 0.6 percent, higher at 173.0 yen ($1.44) per kg. "The yen's drop and a recovery of Chinese equities lent support," a Tokyo-based dealer said.
The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery rose 85 yuan to finish at 11,440 yuan ($1,786.44) per tonne. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for September delivery last traded at 129.9 US cents per kg, up 4.3 cent.