RCMA Commodities Asia

4/12/12: NR Prices In Consolidation Mode

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 12 Apr 2013

NR Prices In Consolidation Mode

After a sharp downturn yesterday, the Tocom market stayed calm and appeared to settle into consolidation mode today. The benchmark drifted range bound between 311.3 to 314.1 Yen/kg before settling 3.2 Yen higher at 313.4 Yen. The volume was only 5,961 lots today.

Trading was also rather thin in Shanghai with the most active position logging just about 265,000 lots. Prices regained 170 RMB from yesterday's drop to end the day at 26,850 RMB.

Singapore prices moved in to consolidation mode as well with 3RSS closing -1.0 to +0.5 usc/kg and TSR 20 closing -0.7 to +1.0 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed On Bargain Hunting; Thai Holiday Slows Trade

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mixed Thursday, with prices on
some exchanges rebounding due to bargain hunting after sharp declines
Wednesday.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y3.2, or 1.0%, higher at Y313.4 a kilogram.

Tocom rubber likely hit a short-term bottom Wednesday when prices fell as
much as 3.8%, a dealer in Singapore said. Many Thai traders had already exited
the market ahead of the long holiday weekend that starts Friday, allowing other
market participants to buy on the decline, a trader in Thailand said.

Tocom trade may be slow Friday because markets in Thailand will be closed for
the holiday. Trade in Thailand will resume Tuesday.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.6 lower at Y311.8/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.4% higher.

Physical rubber prices were mixed, reflecting market uncertainty. Tocom rose
during the day but fell in the night session. Trade in Thailand was slow
because many factories were already closed for the holiday. Some buyers stayed
on the sidelines amid the recent market volatility, traders said.

The Singapore Mercantile Exchange may launch a new natural rubber contract
near mid-2012, Chief Executive V. Hariharan said Thursday. The launch is
subject to regulatory approval.

"The proposed contract would be quite distinct from the existing rubber
futures contracts in the region," Hariharan said in an email.

"We feel there will be active trading interest in the contract, based on
arbitrage opportunities against other liquid rubber futures markets in Asia
such as India, China and Japan."

The contract would be denominated in U.S. dollars, with a trading unit of 5
metric tons, he said.
...

-By Huileng Tan, Dow Jones Newswires, +65 6415 4083; huileng.tan@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 12, 2012 06:44 ET (10:44 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041212 10:44 -- GMT

12/28/12: Rubber Prices Close The Week Up Signicantly

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 28 Dec 2012

Rubber Prices Close The Week Up Significantly

TOCOM rubber futures rose as the yen weakened further. The active June contract opened 3.3 Yen higher from previous day's settlement. The benchmark contract could not hold on the opening price as it fell lower to hit 300.5 Yen. It managed to recover as the market came out with news of the rubber starting a bullish trend. The benchmark contract settled 1.8 Yen higher at 302.5 Yen. The evening kerb session is closed due to the the coming New Year Holidays. It was an active day with 11,647 lots traded.

Shanghai opened at 25,950 RMB and traded between of 26,185 RMB and 25,850 RMB. Bloomberg reported that Rubber will likely extend a bull market next year as monetary and fiscal stimulus from Japan to China and the U.S. will accelerate a global recovery and boostraw-material demand. The active contract closed 240 RMB higher at 26,185 RMB. The benchmark contract saw weak volume at 312,534 lots.

SICOM technically closed mixed overnight with 3RSS closing +0.8 to +3.8 usc/kg and TSR 20 from -0.1 to +4.1 usc/kg. This is a bit skewed as all positions except the nearby TSR 20 closed up. The January TSR 20 closed off a smidge, but still stayed above the 300 usc/kg level. Overall the market was up 7 to 10 usc/kg this week.

DJ Asian Rubber Ends Higher on Strong Demand; Gains in Crude Oil

  By Sameer C. Mohindru

  SINGAPORE--Asian rubber ended higher Friday with the bellwether Tocom
sustaining above Y300/kg around its highest level in almost eight months, as
investors take cues from a weaker yen, higher crude oil and strong demand in
the cash market, said trade participants.

  A weaker yen makes it more expensive for Japan to import natural rubber,
pushing up prices.

  The prices of Thai USS3 raw material - the key determinant of the processed
rubber prices - have been consistently moving higher this week  because the
supply is tight due to rains and demand is strong among rubber factories. Sales
at central markets declined to 56.9 metric tons Friday from 263.8 tons Thursday
due to the tight supply.

  "Global car sales have increased this year and the improving prospects of the
global economy indicates that prices on Tocom may sustain above Y300/kg," said
a research analyst at a Tokyo-based commodity brokerage.

  Benchmark Tocom RSS3 contract for June delivery ended Y1.8 higher at
Y302.5/kg, close to an intraday high of Y304, a level not seen since early May.

  The market didn't trade in the night session, which is part of next day's
trading. Tocom is closed Monday for a public holiday.

  Higher crude oil prices on Nymex during Asian trading hours also had a
spillover impact on rubber prices.

  "The possibility of a modest recovery in the global economy after four years
of recession has raised prospects of stronger demand for industrial
commodities," said an analyst in Tokyo.

  Most traders expect rubber futures on Tocom to sustain above Y300/kg unless
there is a complete breakdown in the U.S. "fiscal cliff" talks.

  Japan's natural rubber inventories are already tight and importers will make
the next round of purchases at higher prices.

  Japan's natural rubber stocks are estimated at 6,352 tons, as of Dec. 10,
less than half of 14,800 tons in end-May, according to Rubber Trade Association
of Japan data.

  Physical rubber prices are steady to higher on strong demand in the cash
market as buyers book cargoes owing to concerns that supply will further
tighten next week as a result of flooding and rain in Malaysia and Thailand.

  Thai and Malaysia rubber grades are already trading above the important mark
of $3,000/ton and traders say Indonesia's SIR grade was offered as high as
$2,990/ton.
...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    December 28, 2012 06:25 ET (11:25 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.  122812 11:25 -- GM

12/27/12: NR Prices Up Again Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 27 Dec 2012

Rubber Prices Up Again Overnight In Asia

TOCOM opened higher at 298.2 Yen as the the Yen weakened further on expectations that Japan's new minister would pressure the central bank into more forceful monetary easing. The active June contract traded between +1.5 Yen (low) and +4.8 Yen (high) compared to yesterday's day settlement. The benchmark settled 4.7 Yen higher at 300.7 Yen. The evening kerb session followed the gains to open 0.4 Yen higher but did not manage to gain further as it closed at 0.1 Yen lower at 300.6 Yen. a little more activity was seen as 11,920 lots were traded today.

Shanghai futures rose over 3% today, as the active May contract hit a high of 26,135 RMB. It opened 160 RMB higher than yesterday and did not fall below yesterday's close of 25,320 RMB. The active May contract closed 620 RMB higher as US Oil futures rose on hopes of the fiscal crisis. At the same time, the cold weather and some some technical buying added to the upward momentum. The benchmark contract closed at 25,940 RMB. Volume improved today to 420,328 lots.

SICOM put in a very strong performance today with 3RSS up 3.4 to 6.0 usc/kg and TSR 20 gaining 1.4 to 6 usc/kg. There were consumers nibbling away at purchases in Singapore today.

DJ Asian Rubber Ends Higher on Malaysia Floods, Weaker Yen

   By Sameer C. Mohindru

  SINGAPORE--Asian rubber ended higher Thursday, with the bellwether Tocom
rising above Y300/kg for the first time in almost eight months, on a weaker
yen, heavy rains and floods in Malaysia and Thailand--the world's major natural
rubber exporters--and strong demand in the cash market, said trade
participants.

  A weaker yen makes it more expensive for Japan to import natural rubber,
pushing up prices.

  The prices of Thai USS3 raw material - the key determinant of the processed
rubber prices - were also higher because the supply is tight due to rains and
demand is strong among rubber factories.

  "Rains are supporting the cash prices while a weaker yen is pushing up the
futures and both [cash and futures markets] are driving each other higher,"
said a research analyst at a Tokyo-based commodity brokerage.

  Benchmark Tocom RSS3 contract for June delivery ended Y4.7 higher at
Y300.7/kg, close to an intraday high of Y303.1, a level not seen since early
May.

  The market was little changed in the night session, which is part of next
day's trading and the June contract ended at Y300.6/kg.

  Traders expect prices to sustain above Y300/kg if yen continues to weaken
against the greenback. The yen fell to its lowest level in more than two years
against the U.S. dollar Thursday on expectations of fresh policy steps by the
Japanese government to boost overall exports.

  Japan's natural rubber inventories are already tight and importers will make
the next round of purchases at higher prices.

  Japan's natural rubber stocks are estimated at 6,352 tons as of Dec. 10, less
than half of 14,800 tons in end-May, according to Rubber Trade Association of
Japan data.

  Physical rubber prices were higher due to the floods in Malaysia and heavy
rains in major Thai rubber growing regions.

  Buyers are concerned supplies will be tight next month because rain and
flooding in parts of Malaysia and Thailand has affected production, an analyst
with a Singapore-based commodities brokerage said. Chinese importers have
bought Thai RSS3 rubber for January shipment around $3,260/ton, free-on-board.
...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires   December 27, 2012 06:31 ET (11:31 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 122712 11:31 -- GMT

12/26/12: NR Prices Stronger As Markets Return

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 26 Dec 2012

NR Prices Stronger Over The Holidays

TOCOM active contract opened at 293.0 Yen, up 0.9 Yen from Friday's day settlement price. The active June contract traded in green as it gained 1.3 % supported by the weaker Yen on expectations of further monetary easing in Japan. The benchmark contract settled 3.9 Yen up to 296.0 yen. The evening kerb session opened around the same level at 295.9 Yen but could not hold the gain as it fell to 294.8 yen before recovering back after the news of that Indonesia's rubber production will slip to around 2.8 mil tons next year compared to 3.04 mil tons this year. The active June contract closed 0.5 Yen up at 296.5 Yen. It traded a healthy 8,866 lots today.

Shanghai futures also saw some gain. The active May contract opened at 25,350 RMB and managed to trade between the intra day level of 25,200 and 25,400 RMB. The benchmark contract closed 70 RMB higher than yesterday's close of 25,250 RMB, on the back of Indonesia slipping their rubber production next year. The volume was very light today at 243,194 lots.

Given the movement in the market over Monday and today AND the lack of sellers in the marketplace, we move our prices up 2 usc/lb to consumers today.

DJ Asian Rubber Ends Higher on Weaker Yen; Thai Rains Boost Demand

Wed Dec 26 07:04:10 2012 EDT

   By Sameer C. Mohindru


  SINGAPORE--Asian rubber ended higher Wednesday as investors covered short
positions, taking cues from tight supply in the cash market, higher crude oil
and a weaker yen, said trade participants.

  A weaker yen makes it more expensive for Japan to import natural rubber,
pushing up prices.

  Prices of Thai USS3 raw material--the key determinant of processed rubber
prices--were also higher as buyers scrambled to book their requirements because
supplies are declining amid heavy rains in major growing regions.

  "The new [Japanese] government's express commitment to encourage exports by
taking steps to weaken the yen is pushing up natural rubber prices," Avtar
Sandu, manager for Asian commodities at Phillip Futures, told Dow Jones
Newswires.

  The benchmark Tocom RSS3 contract for June delivery ended Y3.9 higher at Y296
a kilogram, close to its intraday high of Y296.2.

  The market extended gains in the night session, which is part of the next
day's trading, and the June contract ended at Y296.5/kg.

  Traders expect prices to soon test Y300/kg, a price level not traded at since
early May.

  Japan's natural rubber stocks totaled 6,352 tons as of Dec. 10, less than
half of 14,800 tons in end-May, according to Rubber Trade Association of Japan
data.

  "Importers allowed stocks to deplete because of sluggish demand, but owing to
indications of an economic recovery, prices are already rising, and the next
round of imports will be at relatively higher prices," an analyst with a
Tokyo-based commodities brokerage said.

  Physical rubber prices were higher due to strong demand from China because of
the rainy season in Thailand, a major supplier. Chinese buyers have bought
Malaysian rubber grades for January shipment at prices upward of $2,970/ton,
FOB, an exporter in Singapore said.
..

 (END) Dow Jones Newswires    December 26, 2012 07:04 ET (12:04 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

12/21/12: Wishing You And Yours A Happy Holiday Season

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 21 Dec 2012

NR Markets close the week with little change

TOCOM May contract opened 0.6 Yen lower, at 282.2 yen/kilo. The benchmark May contract was seen sliding lower, trading at 281.0 Yen/kilo before the market turned around, reaching a level of 284.9 Yen/kilo, before it settled at 284.5 Yen/kilo, up 1.7 yen. It was a start of the new June contract, which opened at 286.00 Yen and traded mostly higher around the 287.0 before it settled 287.6 Yen as investors rolled over contracts, from May into June. The kerb session which opened higher in both the May and June contract could not follow the gain as concerns about the US fiscal cliff still weighed on the prices. The benchmark May and June contracts closed 2.4 Yen lower at 282.1 Yen/kilo and 285.2 Yen/kilo respectively. Volume traded doubled to 10,548 lots.

In Shanghai The May contract opened at 24,800 rmb, down 95 rmb. The market managed to trade between 24,790 rmb and 25,275 rmb. The benchmark contract held a strong gain of almost 200 rmb, before it gave back some, to close 65 rmb higher at 24,960 RMB. Volume was lower today at 397,064 lots.

SGX-Sicom saw some mixed trading in light conditions. Rss3 closed down 1.8 to up 1.0 and Tsr20 was down 1.5 to up 0.7 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed as Fiscal Cliff Damps Sentiment

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled mixed Friday as early optimism for progress on the U.S.
"fiscal cliff" was dented after Republican lawmakers canceled a vote on a
tax-cut plan.

  Natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled higher in a
day of slow, rangebound trade ahead of a long weekend, taking cues from the yen
that rose as investors sought safe-haven assets following heightened
uncertainty over the U.S. fiscal cliff of tax hikes and spending cuts. Monday
is a public holiday in Japan.

  Tocom will likely take Shanghai rubber's cues Tuesday when trade resumes, say
traders. Trade volumes may be low due to the Christmas holidays.

  The previous benchmark May Tocom rubber settles Y1.7 higher at Y284.5 a
kilogram, while the new benchmark Tocom rubber contract--June--settles at
Y287.6/kg after opening at Y286/kg.

  June Tocom rubber closed Y2.4 lower at Y285.2/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.6%
higher.

  Physical rubber prices were mostly lower in slow trade ahead of the weekend.
Bids from China were few and far between due to lower ex-warehouse prices in
the world's largest consumer and importer of natural rubber, said traders.

...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires   December 21, 2012 05:50 ET (10:50 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   122112 10:50 -- GMT

11/21/12: Prices Mixed Across The Board In Asia

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 21 Nov 2012

Prices Mixed Across The Board In Asia

TOCOM opened 0.7 Yen lower, at 255.3 yen/kilo. The April contract saw a gain of 2.4 Yen in the day session, as the yen weakened further today; but the market managed to to limit its gain by settling at 256.7 Yen/kilo, up 0.7 Yen. The evening kerb session saw a further jump, as it opened at its high at 258.3 Yen/kilo; but was seen sliding down to hit a low of 256.7 yen/kilo. Late in the session it recovered again as it closed at 258.5 Yen/kilo, up 1.8 Yen. Total volume traded was about average at 5,236 lots.

Shanghai opened marginally higher at 24,420 rmb, up 45 rmb for the May contract. The benchmark moved up by 25 rmb, but mostly was seen trading at a low of 24,150 rmb, before closing 30 rmb lower than yesterday at 24,345 rmb. The volume traded was still
low at 477,5544 lots.

SGX-Sicom followed in the same vein, with an 'Up and Down' day, and ended mixed. Rss3 closed down 1.4 to up 1.8 usc/kg and Tsr20 was up 0.8 to 2.7 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed; Yen Helps Tocom, China Buys on Spot Market

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled mixed Wednesday due to ongoing macroeconomic concerns,
although a weak yen boosted the bellwether Tokyo Commodity Exchange.

  Benchmark April Tocom rubber futures settled Y0.7 higher at Y256.7 a
kilogram.

  Supply-side factors were also supportive, with heavy rain in southern
Thailand.

  A Medan-based trader said supply is also tight due to wet weather in
Indonesia, which has been hindering tapping, and as many trees have been
damaged due to over-tapping over the past year due to historically strong
prices. He expects further gains in rubber prices this year, with Tocom likely
moving to Y270-Y280/kg.

  "We're seeing some increase in demand from places like Europe and the U.S.,"
he said. "It's not very much more but perhaps an indication that the
macroeconomy is picking up."

  April Tocom rubber closed Y1.4 higher at Y258.1/kg in the night session, as
the yen slumped to a fresh seven-month low against the dollar Wednesday after
Japan's opposition Liberal Democratic Party, which is leading in the polls
ahead of Dec. 16 elections, reiterated its pledge to reverse yen strength and
vanquish deflation once and for all.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.9%
lower, as China's natural rubber imports in October fell 21% from a year
earlier and 18% from the previous month.

  China's natural rubber imports will likely pick up in November, as
China-based dealers have been actively buying on the international market in
recent weeks, said traders.

  Physical rubber prices were also mixed, with China buyers active in the
market, said traders.

  "They're bullish on new stimulus measures and government stockpiling," said a
Singapore-based dealer. He added that some China buyers are also purchasing
rubber to replace inventory in bonded warehouses that has been pledged as bank
collateral.

  "They're buying stocks to replace the old stocks, which they will sell before
their condition deteriorates further," he added.

...
  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 21, 2012 05:52 ET (10:52 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   112112 10:52 -- GMT

11/20/12: NR Prices Closed Mixed

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 21 Nov 2012

NR Markets Closed Mixed

TOCOM rose to a near three week high on Tuesday, but the upside momentum was limited on weak sentiment, after the Bank of Japan kept monetary policy unchanged.
The May contract opened on a strong note at 257 Yen/kilo, up 4.4 yen. It reached the high of 257.7 Yen/kilo before settling at 256.0 Yen/kilo, up 3.4 Yen. During the Evening kerb session the benchmark did not move much during the session, it closed at exactly the same level at 256.0 Yen. The volume traded improved to 7,551 lots.

Shanghai opened higher at 24,750 rmb, up 255 rmb, for the May contract; but lost its momentum very soon and closed at 24,375 rmb, down 120 rmb from yesterday. The volume traded was lower at 441,654 lots.

SGX-Sicom traded in a narrow range during the day, and closed mixed. Rss3 was up 0.1 to 1.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 was down 0.2 to up 1.0 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher, Tracking Crude; May Post Further Gains

  By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled higher Tuesday due to strong crude-oil prices, which
reflect concerns over the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

  Benchmark April natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled 1.3%
higher at Y256.0 a kilogram after climbing to a fresh two-week high of
Y257.7/kg.

  Tocom rubber may post further gains on overall positive factors, said
Bangkok-based DS Futures analyst Chaiwat Muenmee.

  "Strong crude-oil prices and news recently that the Chinese government will
be buying rubber are supportive. Technicals are also bullish after prices broke
the last Y253/kg resistance. Prices may test Y260/kg in the next week," he
said.

  April Tocom rubber closed flat in the night session, which is considered part
of the next trading day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
slightly higher.

  Physical rubber prices were mixed, with buying interest coming mostly from
international dealers.
..

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 20, 2012 05:48 ET (10:48 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   112012 10:48 -- GMT

11/19/12: NR Markets Begin The Week On A Higher Note

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 19 Nov 2012

NR Markets begin the week on a higher note

TOCOM opened on a strong note at 251.5 Yen/kilo. Better market sentiment all round, saw the benchmark contract trade between 253.4 Yen ( + 5 Yen ) and 250.7 Yen ( + 2.3 Yen )
compared to Friday's settlement.. The benchmark contract hovered around 251.5 and 252.0 yen/kilo for most of the day before it gained momentum towards the end of the session to settle at 252.6 Yen/kilo, up by 4.2 Yen. The market strength continued to show in the evening kerb session as it opened at 0.8 Yen higher than the day's settlement. It traded above the settlement level through out to finally close at 255.3 Yen/kilo, up 2.7 Yen . Volume traded was low at 4,072 lots.

Shanghai opened 180 rmb higher at 23,860 rmb for the May contract. The market traded between 24,560 (345 rmb higher) and
24,330 (115 rmb higher), compared to the previous settlement. It managed to hold steady on the positive side before closing 280 rmb higher at 24,495 rmb.
Volume traded was on the low side at 472,888 lots.

SGX-Sicom started the week mixed, with Rss3 down 0.2 to up 6.1 usc/kg and Tsr20 up 0.3 to 3.3 usc.kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher in Slow Trade; Weak Yen Drives Tocom

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled mostly higher Monday as a weak yen drove prices up on
the bellwether Tokyo Commodity Exchange.

  Benchmark April Tocom natural rubber futures settled 1.7% higher at Y252.6 a
kilogram after the yen hit a seven-month low against the greenback. Trade was
slow, however, as there were hardly any other strong cues, said a senior trader
in Bangkok.

  He added that "Tocom's performance today is actually lackluster considering
the weak yen," as China equities were weak, prompting caution even though
Shanghai rubber futures were higher.

  April Tocom rubber extended gains to close Y2.7/kg higher at Y255.3/kg in the
night session, which is considered part of the next trading day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.9%
higher.

  Asian physical rubber prices were higher in slow trade, taking their cue from
the sluggish day on Tocom, dealers say.

  "China dealers are still in the market, but too many bids are falling short
of offers," a trader in Thailand said.
..

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires     November 19, 2012 05:50 ET (10:50 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   111912 10:50 -- GMT

11/16/21: Prices Drop A Bit To End The Week

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 16 Nov 2012

NR Markets end the week a tad lower

TOCOM opened 2 Yen lower, at 249 yen/kilo for the April contract. There were early signs of strengthening, when Market recovered to 251.3 yen/kilo, but it was short lived as it declined to 248.2 Yen/kilo. It eventually settled at 248.4 Yen/kilo, down 2.6 Yen as investors took profit registering a fall of 1 %. The evening kerb session opened 0.2 Yen
above the settlement and managed to trade between 248.2 and 249.7 Yen before closing 0.1 Yen up at 248.5 Yen/kilo. Total volume was 5,106 lots.

Shanghai opened steady at 24,165 rmb despite a weaker European/U.S. overnight. The May contract moved higher to an intra-day high of 24,380 rmb on media reports
of Chinese State Reserves buying. However, there are no independent or official confirmation of government intervention. It closed almost unchanged from its opening at 24,150 rmb, down 45 rmb. Volume on the May contract was 582,352 lots traded.

SGX-Sicom moved lower, with good volume on the Tsr20 contract. Rss3 closed down 0.9 to 2.4 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 1.1 to 2.7 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower Despite China Stockpiling News

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled mostly lower on weak sentiment due to concerns over the
U.S. fiscal cliff, despite news from China that the government plans to
stockpile 150,000-200,000 metric tons of natural rubber.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled just
CNY45 higher at CNY24,215/ton.

  "The purchases aren't considered large and most of the price gains have
already been factored in," Shanghai Jinpeng analyst Deng Kaiyue said.

  Statistics from the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries showed
top consumer and importer China shipped in 2.85 million tons in 2011. It
produced 727,000 tons last year, accounting for just 7% of global output.

  "The Chinese government is also stockpiling other commodities, so it's likely
that the move is just to induce positivity following the change in leadership,"
a Singapore-based dealer said. "I don't think it will impact natural rubber
prices much, because China produces so little rubber."

  Tocom rubber futures settle 1% lower at Y248.4 a kilogram after a day of
rangebound trade, tracking Shanghai rubber.

  April Tocom rubber closed just Y0.1 higher at Y248.5/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

  Physical rubber prices were also lower.

...
  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 16, 2012 05:45 ET (10:45 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   111612 10:45 -- GMT

RTRS-CHINA STARTS STOCKPILING UP TO 200,000 TONNES OF NATURAL RUBBER FOR STATE RESERVES FROM DOMESTIC MARKET-PAPER

Bejing, Nov 16 (Reuters) - China has started stockpiling natural rubber and will buy between 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes for state reserves from domestic markets as part of efforts to support prices and farmers amid weak domestic demand, state media reported on Friday, citing authorities.

The government will buy 60,000 tonnes by the end of the year at a price of 24,600 yuan ($3,900) per tonne, said the China Securities Journal, adding that weak demand from downstream industries and high stocks have pressured domestic rubber prices.

(Reporting by Niu Shuping and Lewa Pardomuan)

Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia to meet again on rubber

BANGKOK (Nov 15, 2012): Thailand, the world's biggest rubber producer and exporter, said on Thursday it had called a meeting with major producers Indonesia and Malaysia, to seek ways to stabilise rubber prices.

"The meeting will be held on Dec 11-12 in Phuket," Thai Deputy Agriculture Minister Yuthapong Charassathien told Reuters.

The three countries agreed in August to restrict exports by about 3% of global production in an effort to prop up prices, but the move has so far had little impact.

The trio account for 70% of global natural rubber output.

The price of benchmark Thai export-grade rubber sheet (RSS3)has more than halved from a record high of US$6.40 per kg in February 2011, due largely to a weaker economic outlook in the US and Europe's debt crisis that have cut demand. The benchmark stood at US$3.05 on Thursday.

The price of unsmoked sheet (USS3), a raw material for export grade rubber sheet, which farmers sell to factories, was at 79 baht (US$2.57) per kg on Thursday, also well down from a record high of 180 baht.

The price fall forced the Thai government to start an individual price supporting scheme in May, buying USS3 from farmers at higher-than-market prices to be processed into smoked rubber sheet (RSS3) and kept in stocks to push up prices.

The scheme has had a minimal impact on prices, which have fallen below the target price of 80 baht several times since late October, while farmers of complained of delayed payments from the government.

Yuthapong said the National Rubber Committee will meet again next week to shorten some legislative processes in a bid to accelerate the buying scheme to push prices higher. � Reuters

11/15/12: Markets close a tad higher

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 15 Nov 2012

NR Markets close a tad higher

The April active contract on Tocom opened 1.5 Yen higher than pervious settlement level. The market traded mostly in the green as US dollar strengthened against the Yen. The benchmark traded between a low of 245.5 Yen and a high of 252.4 Yen, before it settled 5.1 Yen up at 251.0 yen/kilo. 7,658 lots were traded across all contracts. The evening kerb session lacked activity, opening at 250.4 Yen/kilo. The active contract closed at 250.2 yen/kilo, down 0.8 Yen from the day session. Total volume traded in the kerb was low today at 956 lots.

Shanghai opened 105 rmb lower at 23,890 rmb for the benchmark May contract. The Market traded between 24,400 rmb and 23,855 rmb, and managed to hold steady, closing 200 rmb higher at 24,195 RMB. Volume traded was up from yesterday, at 662,768 lots.

SGX-Sicom traded in very light conditions, with Rss3 up 1.2 to 2.6 usc.kg and Tsr20 up 0.3 to 1.5 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher; Weaker Yen Boosts Tocom

By Huileng Tan

Asian rubber settled higher Thursday, with bellwether natural rubber on the
Tokyo Commodity Exchange getting a boost from a weaker yen.

The Japanese currency hit a six-and-a-half-month low versus the dollar on
Thursday on the back of expectations that the Bank of Japan will take
aggressive easing steps under a new government, after Prime Minister Yoshihiko
Noda pledged Wednesday to dissolve parliament and call a snap election next
month.

Benchmark April Tocom natural rubber settled 2.1% higher at Y251 a kilogram
and may continue to rise Friday as prices have breached the previous key
resistance of Y250/kg.

"There's also a lot of buying interest. Even if they are dealers and not
end-users, they're still buyers, so we can expect further gains Friday," a
senior trader at a major Thai exporter said, tipping Tocom futures to trade in
a Y255-Y260/kg range Friday.

However, the upside could be limited as futures are trading at a premium to
spot rubber, he added.

April Tocom rubber closed Y0.8 lower at Y250.2/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 1.3%
higher.

Physical rubber prices were higher, tracking gains in rubber futures. Trade
was active, with dealers from China continuing to bid, traders said.

They anticipate some fresh stimulus measures "from the new Chinese leadership
and expect end-users to replenish inventories soon, especially since prices are
at levels favorable to their profit margins," the senior trader said.
...

(END) Dow Jones Newswires November 15, 2012 05:46 ET (10:46 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 111512 10:46 -- GMT

11/14/12: NR Prices Stronger Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 14 Nov 2012

NR Prices Stronger Overnight

The April benchmark contract on Tocom opened 0.8 Yen higher than the previous settlement in the day session. The market traded mostly in the black as the US dollar strengthened against the Yen. The yen suffered under speculation that the lower house of the parliament being would be dissolved bringing about elections in the coming month. The benchmark traded between 242.5 Yen and went up to as high as 246.0 Yen before it settled 0.1 Yen, off from the high of 245.9 Yen. The evening kerb session followed through with the earlier gains and opened higher at 246.5 Yen. The active contract continued to rise and closed 2.7 Yen higher at 248.6 Yen. The total volume traded today was low at 4,377 lots.

Shanghai opened 90 RMB higher at 23860 RMB for the active May contract. The market traded between 23,580 RMB (190 RMB lower) and 24,060 RMB (290 RMB higher), compared to previous settlement. It managed to hold steady on the positive side before closing 225 RMB higher at 23,995 RMB. Volume traded was average at 524,756 lots.

In Singapore, the 3RSS contracts closed from -1.4 to +4.8 usc/kg and the TSR 20 closed up all the way across the board, +1.6 to 3.2 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher; Traders Cautious as Demand Still Weak

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled higher Wednesday as the conclusion of China's 18th Party
Congress helped Chinese markets, including rubber futures on the Shanghai
Futures Exchange, which closed 0.9% higher.

  Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y3.2 higher at Y245.9 a kilogram, although any upside may be
short-lived due to slow demand and global growth concerns, a Kuala Lumpur-based
trader at an international trading firm said.

  "We do see some buying from dealers in China, but that may be due to them
speculating or taking positions. The uptake from end-users [like tiremakers] is
sluggish, and that is reflected in the slow drawdown in inventories [in
China]."

  Seasonal rains in major producing regions are supportive for Tocom rubber,
but prices may drop to Y210/kg once regular output resumes, he added.

  April Tocom rubber extended gains to close Y2.7 higher at Y248.6/kg in the
night session, which is considered part of the next trading day.

  Physical rubber prices were also higher in active trade, with China-based
dealers bidding aggressively, a trader in Bangkok said.
...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires  November 14, 2012 05:47 ET (10:47 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   111412 10:47 -- GMT

11/13/12: NR Prices Close Marginally Lower

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 13 Nov 2012

NR Markets close marginally lower

Tocom opened 1.5 yen higher, on the April contract, at 245.8 yen/kilo It reached a high of 246 yen/kilo, before light selling took it down to a low of 242.2 yen/kilo. It closed at 242.8 yen/kilo, down 1.6 yen. Volume was low at 4,292 lots. The kerb session picked up some ground, closing 1.2 yen higher, at 243.9 yen/kilo.

Shanghai started the day a little lower. The May contract opened, down 65 rmb at 23,900 rmb. It slowly lost ground to reach a low of 23,620 rmb, down 345 rmb. It ended the day at 23,700 rmb. Volume was down from the norm at 494,848 lots.

SGX-Sicom was closed for the Deepavali holiday.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower; China October Tire Output up 1.2% on Year

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled lower Tuesday due to lingering concerns over the U.S.
fiscal cliff. Overall trade was slow due to a public holiday in parts of Asia.

  Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 1.6 yen lower at Y242.7 a kilogram.

  The contract will likely move in the Y240-Y250/kg range Wednesday amid a lack
of strong leads, said a trader in Bangkok.

  Trade participants will also be looking for cues from developments at China's
Communist Party Congress Wednesday.

  International Rubber Consortium chief secretary Yium Tavarolit said in his
weekly newsletter that an evaluation of the collective export cut by Thailand,
Indonesia and Malaysia has found it to be satisfactory, as rubber prices have
come off lows. The cut "will help improve natural rubber prices gradually till
the end of March 2013 as planned," he wrote.

  April Tocom rubber recouped most of the day's losses, rising Y1.2 to
Y243.9/kg, in the night session, which is considered part of the next trading
day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
slightly lower.

  China's tire production rose 1.2% on year to 77.67 million units in October,
the National Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday. In the first 10 months of the
year, tire output totaled 729.32 million units, up 3.6% on year, it said.

  The spot trade was slow due to a public holiday in various parts of Asia,
including the trading center of Singapore.


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 13, 2012 05:15 ET (10:15 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   111312 10:15 -- GMT

11/9/12: NR Markets Close Up, But Off Of The Early Morning Highs

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 9 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 09 Nov 2012

NR Markets close up, but off from the early morning highs

Tocom recovered from yesterday's downturn with the benchmark April contract reaching an intra day high of 250.7 Yen/kilo (up 7.7 Yen from yesterday's settlement level). However the market faced difficulty holding on to its gains, as profit taking forced the market to do an abrupt U-turn. The benchmark retreated to settle the day at 246.4 Yen/kilo (just 3.4 Yen higher) and continued to slip by another 0.6 Yen during the evening kerb session to 245.8 Yen/kilo. Volume was good at 12,854 lots.

Shanghai opened higher in anticipation of positive developments, following the change of new leadership taking place - lending support for the most active position to gain 485 rmb to settle at 23,950 rmb today. Turnover was better today at 655,312 lots.

SGX-Sicom was up in the morning, but gave back ground in the afternoon, but still higher. Rss3 closed up 0.9 to 3.1 usc/kg and Tsr20 up0.7 to 2.8 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher; Vietnam's Output May Top Malaysia's

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled higher Friday taking a positive cue from October
inflation data from China, which came in below expectations, interpreted as a
sign that China has room to pump money into the economy.

  Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 1.4% higher at 246.4 yen a kilogram. Tocom rubber pared gains after
failing to break resistance at Y250/kg convincingly.

  Trade participants are watching whether China will be acquiring buffer stocks
for its national reserves, as market talk suggests.

  April Tocom rubber closed Y0.6 lower at Y245.8/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
2.3% higher at CNY24,035 a metric ton. Deliverable stocks of the commodity in
warehouses monitored by the SHFE rose 2.3% higher from a week ago.

  Physical rubber prices followed the trajectory of futures, with fewer trades
executed later in the day as futures prices came off, said a trader in
Thailand.

  Thanks to an estimated surge in 2012 output, Vietnam now appears poised to
surpass both India and Malaysia this year to become the world's third-biggest
producer of natural rubber.

  Vietnam's rising output has made it an increasingly important producer and
exporter of natural rubber, a fact reflected in efforts by the current top
three global producers--Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia--to entice it to join
their cartel, the International Tripartite Rubber Council.

  Vietnam will likely produce 955,000 metric tons of natural rubber this year,
an increase of 17.6%, which would rank it third globally among producers, the
Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries said Friday. The estimate was
raised from the 930,000 tons projected in the ANRPC's September bulletin.
...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires     November 09, 2012 05:45 ET (10:45 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.  110912 10:45 -- GMT

11/8/12: NR Market Close Well Down

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 8 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 08 Nov 2012

NR Markets Close Well Down

After the slight gain yesterday, Tocom opened sharply lower at 243.1 Yen/kilo, down 5.9 yen. The benchmark traded in negative territory, in the range - 4.2 yen and - 6.8 yen compared to yesterday's settlement in the morning session of 249.0 Yen/kilo. The benchmark settled at 243.0 Yen/kilo down 6.0 yen. The evening kerb session opened at about the same level at 242.9 Yen/kilo, with the April contract managing to recover slightly to 245.6 Yen/kilo, before sliding down to close the day at 244.1 Yen/kilo, up 1.1 Yen. Volume traded was lower at 6,955 lots.

Shanghai opened lower at 23,550 rmb as a result of lower European/U.S.Financial markets. The May contract remained weak throughout the session and traded between
levels of 23,630 rmb and 23,320 rmb before closing 23,465 rmb, down 540 rmb, on a smaller volume of 450,834 lots traded.

SGX-Sicom followed the same pattern, ending the day well down. Rss3 closed down 2.6 to 6.1 usc/kg and Tsr20 was down 2.9 to 4.8 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Declines; Focus Turns to Chinese Leadership, US 'Fiscal Cliff'

Thu Nov 08 05:53:59 2012 EDT

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber prices fell Thursday as market participants took cues from Wall
Street, where the benchmark Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wednesday fell by
the most in a year following U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election.

  Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 2.4% lower at Y243 a kilogram.

  "I was expecting prices to fall even further after last night, but it looks
like they have found support around Y240/kg," a major Thai exporter said.

  Tocom's downside may be limited due to raw material and rubber processing
costs, he added.

  Slow spot demand and ample supply also weighed on Tocom, traders said. The
Thai exporter said external factors--China's leadership transition and the U.S.
"fiscal cliff"--will be back in focus Friday.

  April Tocom rubber closed Y1.1 higher at Y244.1/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 2.1%
lower.

  Physical rubber prices fell and Chinese buyers were active, seeking bargains,
traders said.
...
  (END) Dow Jones Newswires   November 08, 2012 05:53 ET (10:53 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   110812 10:53 -- GMT

11/7/12: NR Markets Close Up, But Down From Morning Highs

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 7 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 07 Nov 2012

NR Markets close up, but down from the Morning highs

TOCOM opened higher at 252.0 Yen with some positive momentum, corresponding with the US presidential elections coming to a close. Earlier in the morning session the benchmark April contract managed to trade at a high of 252.5 Yen/kilo, up 5.9 yen, before it slipped to settle at 249.0 Yen/kilo, 2.4 Yen up. The evening kerb session opened higher by 2.4 yen and managed to close 249.9 yen/kilo, up 0.9 Yen. Volume traded today improved to 7,951 lots.

Shanghai May contract opened at 2,4055 rmb and managed to trade between 24,205 rmb and 23,825 rmb, before closing with a gain of 195 rmb. Total volume traded also improved to 617,396 lots.

SGX-Sicom opened higher in line with Tocom but gave back ground as the USA election moved from Red to Blue. Rss3 closed up 0.9 to 1.7 usc/kg and Tsr20 was up 0.6 to 1.9 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher on Obama Win but Demand Still Slow -Traders

By Huileng Tan

Asian rubber settled higher, with Barack Obama's re-election as president of
the U.S. boosting market optimism that the Federal Reserve will continue its
monetary easing policies. Mr. Obama's victory also weighed briefly on the U.S.
dollar, which gave a lift to the broader commodity complex.

Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 1.0% higher at Y249 a kilogram after gaining as much as 2.4% intraday,
with prices also following crude-oil prices.

A Singapore-based trader said any upside from Obama's re-election Wednesday
was mainly due to currency effects, adding that the market is back to tracking
fundamentals now that the U.S. elections are out of the way.

Kaname Gokon, deputy general manager of Tokyo-based Okato Shoji, said Obama's
win is overall positive for industrial commodities like natural rubber, as it
means that the Fed's monetary easing policies will stay.

The broader market will next be turning to an austerity vote by Greek
lawmakers later in the day for further cues.

April Tocom rubber closed Y0.9 higher at Y249.9/kg in the night session after
trading in a tight Y248-Y251.4/kg range. The night session is considered part
of the next trading day.

Physical rubber prices were also higher, tracking gains for Tocom and
Shanghai rubber. Fundamentals weren't robust, however, as supply is plentiful
while demand is slow, particularly for the nearby months--although there has
been some interest in forward-month shipments, said traders in Southeast Asia.

"Maybe [buyers] think prices could be bottoming out and they're looking at
more demand ahead," the Singapore-based trader said.
...
(END) Dow Jones Newswires November 07, 2012 05:45 ET (10:45 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

11/6/12: NR Prices Marginally Higher

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 6 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 06 Nov 2012

NR Markets close marginally higher

Tocom edged lower in thin trade on Tuesday, dragged down by weaker oil price and as investors shied away from risk ahead of the US presidential election. The Benchmark slipped 0.6 Yen and settled at 246.6 Yen/kilo. However, the benchmark April contract managed to climb a little during the evening kerb session and closed at 247.6 Yen/kilo, up 1 Yen. Total volume was much lower at 5,985 lots.

Shanghai opened up 65 rmb at 23,820 rmb on the May contract. It reached a high of 23,960 rmb before closing with a gain of 55 rmb, at 23,810 rmb. Total volume traded was 509,652 lots.

SGX-Sicom made some small gains in light trading. Rss3 closed down 0.2 to up 1.5 usc/kg and Tsr20 was up 0.6 to 2.5 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed; Focus on U.S. Presidential Election

By Huileng Tan

Asian rubber settled mostly lower Tuesday in cautious trade ahead of the U.S.
presidential election.

Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y0.6 lower at Y246.6 a kilogram after a session in range trade.

A trader in Thailand's Yala province said the focus Wednesday will be on the
results of the U.S. election and its impact on the broader market.

International Rubber Consortium chief secretary Yium Tavarolit said in his
weekly newsletter that technical signals indicated rubber futures may be
oversold and due for a technical rebound this week if sentiment improves.

April Tocom rubber closed Y1 higher at Y247.6/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark May natural rubber futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange also
closed slightly lower.

Physical rubber prices were mostly lower, tracking losses on Tocom and the
SHFE. China was active in the market, with more dealers than end users buying,
said a Singapore-based dealer.

"Even though ex-warehouse prices are lower, the dealers from China prefer to
pay a premium for forward shipments, indicating that they're confident about
prices from January onward," he added.

11/5/12: NR Markets Start The Week Well Down

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Mon, 5 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 05 Nov 2012

NR Markets Start The Week Well Down

Tocom started the week on a weaker note with the benchmark opening 3.4 Yen lower at 252.0 Yen/kilo. The market failed to recover and further selling activity during the day saw the benchmark plunging below the 250 Yen mark to settle at 247.2 Yen/kilo (down 8.2 Yen from last Friday's settlement). Total volume was slightly lower at 8,958 lots. Prices slipped by another 1.0 Yen during the evening kerb session to 246.2 Yen/kilo

Shanghai also felt the brunt of selling pressure. The May contract opened at 24,100 rmb, down 360 rmb. Continued selling saw the benchmark reach a low of 23,550 rmb, down 910 rmb, before closing 705 rmb lower at 23,755 rmb. Volume on the May contract was 590,808 lots.

SGX-Sicom followed the bandwagon and saw similar erosion in prices. The day started with levels about 4-5 usc/kilo lower, but ended with Rss3 down 5.0 to 7.8 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 6.0 to 7.7 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower Ahead of Key Events

  By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled lower Monday, tracking a commodities selloff Friday on
Wall Street as investors reduced risk ahead of key events this week, including
U.S. presidential elections and leadership changes in China.

  Benchmark May natural rubber futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
2.9% lower at CNY23,885 a metric ton after dropping as much as 4.3% intraday.

  A Singapore-based dealer said buying sentiment from China isn't strong due to
high inventories at the major rubber port of Qingdao. Natural rubber stocks at
the port totaled some 233,000 tons as of end-October, said traders. The data
isn't publicly released.

  Chiaki Furui, chief executive of Bangkok-based commodities brokerage Agrow
Enterprise, said SHFE rubber's losses may be due to the change in the benchmark
contract to May from January last week, as investors are less certain of prices
in a forward month.

  Benchmark April natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 3.2% lower at Y247.2 a kilogram, tracking the sharp decline in Shanghai
rubber.

  Mr. Furui said the U.S. dollar's movement may be the key driver of Tocom
rubber this week, so eyes are on the U.S. presidential election and its impact
on the country's currency.

  April Tocom rubber closed Y1 lower at Y246.2/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 05, 2012 05:49 ET (10:49 GMT)
 Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   110512 10:49 -- GMT

11/2/12: NR End Week In Negative Territory

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 2 Nov 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 02 Nov 2012

NR Markets close the week in negative territory

The TOCOM benchmark opened higher at 258.8 Yen/.kilo but started to slide down heavily reaching a low of 254.0 Yen/kilo, snapping 2 days of gain, on caution over the strength of the global economy ahead of U.S. non farm payroll figures later on Friday. The April contract settled at 255.4 Yen/kilo, down 3.6 Yen. Total volume traded across all contracts in the session was 9,853 lots. In the evening kerb session, the market started even lower, opening at 255.0 yen/kilo. However, the abenchmark see-sawed in a narrow range between 254.0 and 255.5 yen/kilo. April contract closed at 254.8 yen/kilo, down 0.6 Yen. 898 lots were traded overall.

In Shanghai, the most active May contract opened lower today at 24,745 rmb, hitting a low of 24,390 rmb, down 425 rmb. It managed to climb up slightly and closed at 24,460 rmb, down 355 RMB. Traded volume for the contract was increased to 455,022 lots.

SGX-Sicom followed in the same vein, in light conditions. Rss3 closed down 2.3 to up 0.8 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 1.6 to 2.7 usc/kg. Prices may close the week lower, but still within the range that we've been in since late September.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower; Cautious Sentiment Ahead of U.S. Jobs Data

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber settled lower Friday, with sentiment cautious ahead of U.S. jobs
data due later in the day, and the U.S. presidential election and the start of
China's 18th Party Congress next week.

  Benchmark April natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled Y3.6
lower at Y255.4 a kilogram. Technical indicators point to Tocom trading in a
Y247-Y260/kg range next week, Bangkok-based DS Futures analyst Chaiwat Muenmee
said.

  A trader in Bangkok said both Tocom and Shanghai rubber are now priced at a
premium to international spot prices, so there is likely to be downside risk.

  April Tocom rubber closed Y0.6 lower at Y254.8/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

  Benchmark May natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.7%
lower at CNY24,600 a metric ton.

  Deliverable natural rubber stocks in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai
Futures Exchange rose 5.3% from a week ago.

  Physical rubber prices were also lower in slow trade.

  Japan's crude rubber stocks as of Oct. 20 rose 9.4% from Oct. 10, the first
increase in the country's inventory levels since May.

  Stock levels started falling steadily from May due to lower prices in Japan,
prompting buyers to hunt for bargains and exporters to avoid delivering to
Japan, traders said.

  Prices of natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange have caught
up with prices in other markets, so inventories are rising again, a trader at a
major Thai exporter said.

...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 02, 2012 06:47 ET (10:47 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 110212 10:47 -- GMT

11/1/12: NR Markets Closed Mixed

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 1 Nov 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 01 Nov 2012

NR Markets Closed Mixed

The TOCOM benchmark opened higher at 257.0 yen/kilo, up 1.9 yen; but soon lost traction, reaching a low of 256.0 yen/kilo. However, support was given by positive economic news from China and prices crept back up to a high of 260.1 yen/kilo before settling at 259.0 yen/kilo, up 3.9 Yen from the previous day. Total volume traded across all contracts in the session was 11,023 lots. In the evening kerb session, the market started solid, opening at 259.0 yen/kilo. The high and low of the session were 259.4 and 256.5 yen/kilo, respectively. However, late sellers came into the market in the last half-hour, with the April contract closing at 256.6 yen/kilo, down 2.4 Yen. 2,071 lots were traded overall.

In Shanghai, the most active contract switched to the May position. It started off at 24,615 rmb, hitting a high of 24,970 rmb and a low of 24,860 rmb. It ultimately closed at 24,815 rmb, up 215 RMB. Traded volume for the May contract was 398,066 lots.

SGX-Sicom bucked the trend and closed mostly lower. Rss3 was down 0.7 to 3.9 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 1.5 to 3.4 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Futures Mostly Higher on China PMI; Yen Boosts Tocom

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber futures settled mostly higher Thursday following the release of
data showing that Chinese manufacturing activity picked up in October following
two straight months of contraction.

  China's official PMI for October rose to 50.2, up from 49.8 for September.

  Benchmark April natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled Y3.9
higher at Y259 a kilogram, taking support from a weaker yen after the Chinese
PMI data improved risk sentiment.

  Still, the contract was unable to break decisively above resistance at
Y260/kg, where it ran into the 20-day moving average, and may trade in a range
ahead of the U.S. presidential election next week, a trader in Bangkok said.

  April Tocom rubber closed Y2.4 lower at Y256.6/kg in the night session, which
is considered part of the next trading day.

  The new benchmark May natural rubber contract on the Shanghai Futures
Exchange settled 1.3% higher at CNY24,765 a metric ton.

  Physical rubber prices were mixed after Tocom reversed gains in the night
session, causing uncertainty, traders said.
...

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires    November 01, 2012 06:47 ET (10:47 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.  010112 10:47 -- GMT

10/2/12: NR Markets Close Well Up

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 2 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 02 Oct 2012

NR Markets close well up, testing a four month high

Tocom managed another strong showing again. The benchmark opened higher at 267.9 Yen/kilo, up 7.4 yen; and jumped to a four month high of 272.5 Yen/kilo. The benchmark held on to close at 270.4 Yen/kilo, up 9.9 Yen. The March delivery rose 3.8 % on the back of the world's largest producers starting to cut shipments by 300,000 thousand tons. The evening kerb session opened stronger and continued to a high of 274.2 Yen/kilo before closing at 273.2 yen/kilo, up 2.8 Yen. Volume traded today was an active 10,016 lots.

Shanghai still closed for Golden Week holiday.

SGX-Sicom closed well up with 3RSS gaining 10.5 to 17.7 usc/kg and TSR 20 up 11.6 to 13.8 usc/kg. Physical prices were up 7.5 usc/lb overnight.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Sharply Higher; Rally Rouses China From Holiday

   By Huileng Tan

  Asian rubber rallied Tuesday as upbeat September U.S. manufacturing data
provided a further boost to already strong gains that started when benchmark
rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange breached Y263 a kilogram
resistance in Monday's night session.

  Benchmark March Tocom rubber eventually settled 3.8% higher at Y270.4/kg
after gaining as much as 4.6% to a four-month high, with speculators on the
Japanese bourse also taking advantage of a weeklong market closure in China to
push prices up on Tocom.

  Prices on the Japanese bourse have been priced lower than those on other
Asian futures exchanges but are catching up after Tuesday's gains. Due to the
price disparity, gains in rubber futures on the Agricultural Futures Exchange
of Thailand were limited as Thai futures were already priced higher than Tocom.

  March Tocom rubber extended gains to close Y2.8 higher at Y273.2/kg in the
night session, which is considered part of the next trading day.

  Some profit-taking may be expected following Tuesday's strong gains, but
bullishness in the rubber markets will likely see prices testing even higher
levels, a Bangkok-based trader said.

  Physical rubber prices were also sharply higher, with the rally in rubber
futures prompting a rash of bids from everywhere, said traders. Buyers from
China who are on holiday were also bidding, fearing that prices will have shot
up far too much by the time their break ends.

...
  (END) Dow Jones Newswires     October 02, 2012 06:47 ET (10:47 GMT)
  Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.   100212 10:47 -- GMT

Rubber Bulls Back as Exporters Cut Most Since 2009: Commodities

By Aya Takada and Supunnabul Suwannakij

Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The biggest restrictions on rubber
exports since 2009 and record consumption are sending prices
back to a bull market after a five-month slump, increasing costs
for Bridgestone Corp. and other tiremakers.

Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, accounting for 70 percent
of global output, agreed to cut shipments by 300,000 metric
tons, starting yesterday. That's as much as China, the biggest
user, imports in about five weeks and exceeds the 2013 supply
surplus forecast by the International Rubber Study Group, which
represents 35 nations. Tokyo-traded futures, a global benchmark,
will advance 15 percent to 300 yen a kilogram ($3,845 a ton) by
the end of the year, according to the median of 12 analyst
estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Producers are cutting sales to boost prices that tumbled 51
percent since reaching a record in February 2011 because of a
supply glut and weaker economic growth. When they reduced
cargoes in 2009, futures more than doubled that year. The latest
curbs are coming as policy makers from the Federal Reserve to
the European Central Bank pledge to buy more debt to bolster
economies. The Singapore-based rubber group predicts record
demand again in 2013.

"The bear market is over," said Makoto Sugitani, the head
of commodity derivatives sales at Newedge Japan Inc. in Tokyo
who correctly predicted in September 2010 that prices would
advance 20 percent within six months. "The easing has spurred
fund flows into equities and commodities and export cuts by the
three producers will support prices."

Tripartite Council

Even after rallying 27 percent since mid-August on the
Tokyo Commodity Exchange, futures are still 1.1 percent lower
for the year at 260.5 yen. The Standard & Poor's GSCI gauge of
24 raw materials increased 3.2 percent since the start of
January and the MSCI All-Country World Index of equities
advanced 11 percent. Treasuries returned 2.3 percent, a Bank of
America Corp. index shows.

The three Southeast Asian producers will cut 180,000 tons
of exports in the fourth quarter and 120,000 tons in the first
three months of next year, their International Tripartite
Council said Aug. 29. They will probably store the rubber until
prices improve, said Yium Tavarolit, the chief secretary of the
International Rubber Consortium Ltd., a unit of the council.

The countries also agreed to cut down ageing trees across
100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of plantations, an area about
50 percent greater than Singapore. The program, which will
remove 150,000 tons of annual production, should start at the
end of the harvest in February, said Yium.

Annual Supply

Thailand, the biggest supplier, will spend 30 billion baht
($974 million) buying at least 300,000 tons from farmers at
above-market rates to boost prices, Deputy Farm Minister
Nattawut Saikuar said Sept. 13. That extends an existing plan
that already acquired 100,000 tons for 15 billion baht, he said.

Production will rise 3.2 percent to 11.3 million tons this
year, outpacing a 2.5 percent gain in demand to 11.2 million
tons, according to the rubber study group. That values annual
supply at about $40 billion. Output will expand 4.4 percent to
11.8 million tons in 2013, exceeding a 4.3 percent gain in
consumption to 11.7 million tons, the group estimates.

While prices more than doubled from the end of 2008 through
June 2011 as the Fed bought $2.3 trillion of debt in two bouts
of so-called quantitative easing, the impact of the third round
announced Sept. 13 may be more muted. Weakening global growth
means central-bank stimulus probably won't be a "game changer"
for many commodities, Barclays Plc said in a report Sept. 25.

Biggest Tiremaker

Stockpiling and limiting shipments will only diminish the
glut temporarily, said Kazuhiko Saito, the chief analyst at
Fujitomi Co., a brokerage in Tokyo. The planned export
restrictions are smaller than the 690,000 tons removed in 2009.

While global tire demand is no longer weakening, it has yet
to rebound, said Kaoru Tomizawa, a spokesman for Tokyo-based
Bridgestone, the world's biggest tiremaker. The company will use
980,000 tons of natural and synthetic rubber in the second half,
below an earlier estimate of 1 million tons, he said. First-half
consumption was 7 percent smaller than planned. About 80 percent
of natural rubber goes into tires, says Deutsche Bank AG.

Truck sales fell 6 percent in the first eight months in
China, which represents 34 percent of demand for natural rubber,
data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers
show. As much as 23 kilograms (51 pounds) of natural rubber is
needed to make a tire for a medium to heavy commercial vehicle,
according to CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, a brokerage and
investment group.

Light Vehicles

The sales slide will probably end next year, with Chinese
truck purchases increasing 10 percent as policy makers add
stimulus to bolster economic growth, said Zita Zigan, head of
global commercial vehicle forecasting at LMC Automotive Ltd. in
Oxford, England.

Global sales of light vehicles probably will grow 6.5
percent, from 5.2 percent in 2012, LMC Automotive estimates. As
much as 1.6 kilograms of natural rubber is used in a passenger-
car tire, according to Jeremie Capron, an analyst at CLSA in
Singapore.

Production growth in Thailand likely will slow to 1.2
percent this year from 9.7 percent in 2011, the Association of
Natural Rubber Producing Countries estimates. Output in
Indonesia, the second-biggest, will climb 7.7 percent, from 11
percent, according to the Kuala Lumpur-based group, whose
members represent about 93 percent of supply.

Stockpiles in warehouses monitored by the Tokyo Commodity
Exchange fell to 3,441 short tons (3,122 metric tons) by Sept.
20, bourse data show. That's the lowest in 13 months and 71
percent below this year's peak of 11,886 tons on May 10.

"Rubber has bottomed out," said Tetsu Emori, the Tokyo-
based fund manager at Astmax Co., who helps manage about 35
billion yen of assets. "The uptrend is set to continue."

To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story:
Aya Takada in Tokyo at +81-3-3201-8461 or
atakada2@bloomberg.net