RCMA Commodities Asia

4/24/12: NR Prices Lower Across The Board

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 24 Apr 2012

NR Markets close lower across the board

Market conditions continued to be hampered by weak economic news and Tocom headed further southwards today. The September position opened at 305.4 yen/kilo (down 1.6 yen) and ended the day 3.7 Yen lower at 303.3 Yen/kilo while the new October position opened at 307.2 Yen and then drifted down to close at 305.1 Yen. Total traded volume improved to 8,436 lots mainly due to roll over trades from Sep to Oct. The evening session bounced back by 1.8 yen.

Shanghai also lost ground. The September contract opened 90 rmb higher at 27,195 rmb, but quickly lost ground, touching a low of 26,650 rmb, before ending the day at 26,810 rmb, down 290 rmb.Volume picked up a little at 383,878 lots.

SGX-Sicom also headed south, with Rss3 closing down 0.3 to 2.2 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 0.6 to 2.9 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed On Euro-zone Fears; Some Upside In Thailand

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mixed Tuesday amid lingering
concerns about European economic conditions, with tight supply in Thailand
providing some upside to prices.

A stronger yen weighed on rubber futures on the bellwether Tokyo Commodity
Exchange, sending the former benchmark September contract Y3.7 lower to settle
at Y303.3 a kilogram, while the new benchmark--October--opened at Y307.2/kg and
settled at Y305.1/kg.

Worries about the global economy may prompt a test of the key Y300/kg support
level this week, ahead of public holidays next week in China and Japan, said
Kaname Gokon, deputy general manager of Okato Shoji.

He added that market participants were largely unconcerned about the Thai
government's price intervention plans because of their slow implementation and
were setting up fresh short positions.

October Tocom rubber closed Y1.8 higher at 306.9/kg as the yen weakened
against the greenback later in the Asian day. The night session is considered
part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
1.2% lower.

Physical rubber prices were mostly lower, but Thai RSS3 prices were holding
up because supplies are tight, traders said.

In fact, most traders in Thailand can't sell the grade for prompt shipment
any more because they can't acquire enough raw material for production, said a
major exporter. Raw material USS3 prices were also higher.
...
-By Huileng Tan, Dow Jones Newswires, +65 6415 4083; huileng.tan@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 24, 2012 06:51 ET (10:51 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 042412 10:51 -- GMT

Thailand Targets Rubber Rally by Buying Up Output

Thailand, the largest rubber exporter, reaffirmed a plan to drive local prices to 120 baht ($3.87) a kilogram by buying up supplies, while announcing its intention to push them as much as 50 percent higher than that.

"In the second half, we will revise the target up to 150 baht and will introduce more measures for the price to climb to 180 baht next year," Nattawut Saikuar, deputy farm minister, said in an interview. The 120 baht goal, 13 percent above today's level, should be hit as soon as possible, he said.

Higher prices in Thailand, which accounts for about 33 percent of global supplies, may boost costs for companies such as Bridgestone Corp. (5108), Michelin & Cie. and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., the top three tire makers. The initial target was announced three months ago by the government, which also has a rice-buying program to try to lift prices of the grain.

"If the government takes action seriously, prices can go up," Kazunori Kokubo, managing director Yutaka Shoji Singapore Pte., said today. "Now is bad timing as we have financial problems in Europe and China's economy is slowing down."

The auctioned price of unsmoked sheet in the Thai city of Songkhla has risen 21 percent this year to 106.41 baht a kilogram today, according to data tracked by Bloomberg. The commodity, which hasn't traded above 120 baht since September, rose 26 percent the month the purchasing plan was announced, before dropping 0.7 percent in both February and last month.

Slower Growth

On the Tokyo Commodity Exchange, smoked sheet has risen 15 percent in 2012 to 302.9 yen (116.2 baht, $3.75) per kilogram at 1 p.m. Still, the price fell 3 percent in March and extended its fall April on concern slower growth in China may hurt demand.

The economy in the largest rubber user expanded 8.1 percent in the first quarter, the slowest pace in three years. Bridgestone, the world's biggest tiremaker, said yesterday that tire demand in China is growing at a slower pace than last year, according to Vice President Makio Ohashi.

Thailand has been in talks with China to increase rubber purchases and to set up processing plants in Thailand, Nattawut said in Bangkok. "I'm seriously driving policy to strengthen the rubber industry", he said.

On Jan. 24, the government approved 15 billion baht in interest-free loans from the state-run Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives for the Rubber Estate Organization and growers' cooperatives to buy supplies at above market-rates.

The government will also expand the cutting down of rubber trees to 500,000 rai (80,000 hectares) this year, compared with about 200,000 rai last year, Nattawut said.

Full Steam

The bureaucratic process may cause slowness in implementing the plans, but once they move at full stream, we'll definitely see the price breach 120 baht, Nattawut said. Other measures will be introduced to boost prices to 150 baht, and further to 180 baht, he said, without giving details.

The Rubber Estate Organization is ready to buy rubber from farmers once the Ministry of Finance approves the budget, Managing Director Chanachai Plengsiriwat said by phone today. The agency aims to boost trading volumes, without setting a limit on the amount that may be bought, and will sell supplies to overseas buyers at so-called favorable prices, he said.

A plan for the industry will be drafted to boost export revenue to 1 trillion baht in 2013 from an estimated 680 billion baht this year, Nattawut said. The ministry will also discuss with Indonesia and Malaysia, the second- and third-largest rubber producers, ways to stabilize prices, he said.

The Thai government has been buying rough rice from farmers at above-market rates since October last year in a bid to shore up domestic prices and lift rural incomes. The country is the world's largest rice exporter.

To contact the reporter on this story: Supunnabul Suwannakij in Bangkok at ssuwannakij@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Poole at jpoole4@bloomberg.net

4/23/12: NR Prices Start The Week On A Dull Note

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 23 Apr 2012

NR Markets start the week on a dull note

Tocom made a very quiet start to the week with prices hardly changing during the day. The benchmark contract opened at 307.7 yen/kilo (up.0.2 yen). Total traded volume was a dismal 2,938 lots which saw the benchmark settling just 0.5 Yen lower at 307.0 Yen/kilo. Prices slackened further by another 1.8 Yen to 305.2 Yen/kilo during the evening kerb session.

Shanghai encountered a similar lethargic movement, and closed 130 rmb lower, at 27,100 rmb.

SGX-Sicom was equally quiet, with Rss3 closing down 1.0 to up 2.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 0.4 to 2.9 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed; China Imports Down 9.9% On Year

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mixed Monday as data showed
Chinese manufacturing activity continued to contract in April, albeit at a
smaller pace.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y0.5 lower at Y307 a kilogram, with prices moving in a narrow range as
cautious investors awaited key events later in the week for cues, including the
Bank of Japan's policy board meeting and the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee
meeting.

A Tokyo-based broker said macroeconomic factors will continue to influence
Tocom's movements. Most traders peg Tocom rubber's support at Y300/kg.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.8 lower at Y305.2/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
slightly higher, getting a slight boost from manufacturing data in China, where
the preliminary HSBC Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index showed a rise to a
two-month high of 49.1 in April compared with a final reading of 48.3 in March.

Still, the SHFE's upside was limited, as the sector was in contractionary
territory for the sixth straight month.

The slowing growth was evident in China's March natural rubber imports, which
fell 9.9% from a year earlier to 192,296 metric tons, the General
Administration of Customs said Monday.

Physical rubber prices were also mostly lower, with some buyers taking the
opportunity of damped market sentiment to bid low.

"Some STR20 bids are even below the $3,600/ton level," said a trader in
Bangkok.

On Monday, STR20 was offered at $3,720-$3,740/ton, free on board.

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

-Chuin-wei Yap in Beijing contributed to this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 23, 2012 06:54 ET (10:54 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 042312 10:54 -- GMT

China Copper Falls ; PMI data fails to ease concerns

Shanghai , April 23 (Reuters) - Copper futures retreated on Monday as data showing a moderate increase in factory activity in top consumer China failed to allay demand concerns, while investors remained cautious ahead of similar data from the euro zone later in the day.

The rise in the China HSBC flash Purchasing managers index (PMI) , suggested that industrial activity picked up in April from march, was not big enough to trigger buying of risk assets as it stayed under 50, signifying contracting economic activity.

HSBC's index, which focuses on smaller Chinese manufacturing firms painted a more bearish state of factory activity in China versus the more upbeat official PMI data that centeres on large state firms.

3-month copper on the London Metal Exchange fell 1.6 % to $8064 at tonne by 0820 GMT.

The most active July Copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange shed 0.7 % to close 57,330 yuan ($9100) a tonne.

Traders said copper futures were weighted by uncertainty over global demand and investors were seeking more definite macroeconomic cues and technical signals. "Copper is still trying to eke out a new technical range, which is why prices have been fluctuating within a narrow ranges. There are no clear bearish or bullish trends now. Traders are waiting to see what happens next and are careful about open positions, " said a Shanghai based trader.

"Although the Chinese PMI numbers showed the country's industrial activity improving from MArch, overall sentiment is still cautious as we await more data from the euro zone tonight and while Chinese copper demand remains soft", said Orient Futures derivatives director Andy Du.

Prices have also been pressured by high warehouse stockpiles in Shanghai , which Goldman Sachs last week pegged at 620,000 tonnes. But the stock levels may ease slightly as high cash prices for LME copper are spurring re-exports of Shanghai bonded warehouse copper to nearby LME warehouses in a bid to ease backwardation, when the near term contract trades below the expected spot price at the time of maturity.

"Although the mood is gloomy today, copper price won't crash as there is still substantial demand for the metal albeit weaker than previous years," said CIFCO analyst Zhou Jie. "We can count on Chinese consumers to restock a little whenever prices fall below a certain technical point. Hope of more monetary easing by Beijing also prevent too much pessimism in the markets," he said.

LME Copper surged last week , posting its best weekly performance since February, with most of the gains coming on Friday, when strong first quarter earnings results in the United States and an unexpected rise in German business sentiment bolstered investors' appetite.

worries about Europe's economic health, also eased slightly after leading world economies pledged $430 billion in new funding for the International Monetary Fund, more than doubling its lending power in a bid to rotect the global economy.

Meanwhile Shanghai lead continues ot outperform other base metals ont he SHFE, trading flat where most others have dipped during the session. It had also risen during the 2 previous weeks where other metals in the complex had fallen.

" lead futures are supported by the fact that prices have fallen very close to its marginal costs of $15500. Also available stockpiles in China are quite low, while its main downstream users (the automobile and e-bikes indurstries are doing well,: said a Beijing -based trader.

4/20/12: NR Markets End Week With Little Change

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 20 Apr 2012

NR Markets End The Week With Little Change

Tocom ended the week quietly. The benchmark opened at 306.1 yen/kilo, down 2.9 yen. Prices stayed range bound between 305.0 - 308.8 Yen during the day session. The benchmark settled 1.5 Yen lower at 307.5 Yen/kilo amid a total turnover of 5,396 lots. The evening session saw little change.

Shanghai also did not make any headway in either direction and the September contract ended just marginally lower by 15 rmb to 27,230 rmb. Turnover continues light at 228,632 lots.

SGX-Sicom saw very light turnover and closed mixed. Rss3 closed unchanged to up 3.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 0.2 to 3.7 usc/kg. Physical prices closed out the week at exactly the same levels as last Friday.

DJ Asian Rubber Futures Settle Mixed; Thin RSS3 Supply Supports

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mixed Friay as disappointing U.S.
economic data weighed on sentiment but tight RSS3 supply provided some support.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled
Y1.5 lower at Y307.5 a kilogram, off the intraday low of Y305/kg. Thin raw
material arrivals in Thailand may lead to price increases as exporters and
end-users compete for RSS3 supplies, traders there said. However, a
Bangkok-based trader noted that Tocom RSS3 remains affected by uncertainty over
the global economy.

September Tocom rubber closed Y0.3 higher at Y307.8/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled a
tad higher while deliverable natural rubber stocks in warehouses monitored by
the SHFE fell 7.6% from a week ago, the exchange said Friday.

Demand exists for SHFE rubber because prices are the "cheapest" among all
major exchanges trading rubber futures, the Bangkok-based trader said.

The SHFE also said Friday that it will raise its trading margins and limits
for the coming extended Labor Day holiday weekend. Margins for natural rubber
will be set at 13%, up from 9%, with price limits maintained at 6%.

Physical rubber prices fell, tracking bellwether Tocom. China was in the
market to purchase, but bids were not competitive as ex-warehouse domestic
prices were around $10-$20 a metric ton cheaper than FOB prices, traders say.

Raw material USS3 prices in Thailand were slightly higher due to thin
arrivals.
...

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

-Chuin-wei Yap in Beijing contributed to this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 20, 2012 06:46 ET (10:46 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 042012 10:46 -- GMT

Thailand's Rubber Production To Grow Steadily Year After Year

Article translated from Mandarin from the Economic Times -

According to the International Rubber Study, the latest data show that in 2011 the world's natural rubber production is about 10.99 million tons, an increase of 6.2%, Thailand ranked first in the world to 344 million tons of production, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Vietnam, in turn arranged In the second to fifth. The world market demand for natural rubber in 2011 reached 10.97 million tons, an increase of about 6.2%, including growth from the Asian market. The agency predicted that the international market demand, as well as the relevant countries to develop a rubber plantation and rubber processing industry, the world's rubber production is expected in a few years later the rate of one million tons per year increments.

As the traditional rubber-producing countries, Thailand's rubber industry is not only a pillar industry in the field of agriculture, but also in employment and foreign exchange to make a significant contribution to economic development. Since natural rubber prices continued to rise in 2005, Thailand's rubber plantation area increased significantly, and the steady growth of output and exports. As the world's largest natural rubber exporting countries, Thailand's 2011 primary rubber processing products export value of about $ 13.5 billion, surged 71 percent year-on-year; tires, gloves and other rubber products exports amounted to approximately $ 8.3 billion, an increase of 29%.

As early as 2009, the Thai government on the formulation of the 2009-2013 five-year strategic planning of the development of the Thai Rubber, with the overall objective: to 2013 an annual increase of rubber production is not less than 10% of the domestic rubber consumption increased by 46%; will further enhance the international competitiveness of the Thai rubber industry, total exports from 2009 to 178.935 billion baht to grow to 230 billion baht in 2013, the per capita income of the rubber farmers greatly improved with the improvement of social welfare.

Up to now, including to enhance the quality and yield of rubber raw materials, improve the domestic and international market system, vigorously develop the rubber processing and products industry, to improve government management system, promote international cooperation, encourage and support R & D work to increase the income of rubber farmers and develop human resources 8 The main content of five-year strategic plan is to intensify the implementation. The market believes the prospects of Thailand's rubber industry.

4/18/12: NR Markets Stage A Sharp Rebound

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 18 Apr 2012

NR Markets stage a sharp rebound

The steadier equity markets coupled with an apparent rumor that The Chinese Central Bank should lower the reserve-requirement ratio and adjust the loan-to-deposit ratio to increase banks’ lending capacity spurred speculative buying to surface in Tocom today. The benchmark contract took a sharp jump back above the 310 Yen level to close the day at 311.9 Yen/kilo - posting a gain of 9.2 Yen from yesterday's settlement level. Volume picked up at 8,258 lots. Some profit taking activity during the evening kerb session trimmed prices by 1.9 Yen to 310.0 Yen

Shanghai also traded on a positive note with the September contract reaching a high of 27,650 rmb (up 1220 rmb), before settling 775 rmb higher at 27,205 rmb. The traded volume a little better at 336,042 contracts.

SGX-Sicom followed the herd and closed higher with RSS3 up 1.5 to 3.5 usc/kg and TSR 20 up 1.3 to 2.6 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher; Spot Trade Active On Price Gains

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled higher Wednesday as market
participants took encouragement from strong demand at a Spanish bond auction
and a surprise increase in a German survey of economic sentiment.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 3.0% higher at Y311.9 a kilogram after gaining as much as 3.2%
intraday. A weaker yen also supported prices.

"Tocom was oversold and the correction is overdue, but Tocom prices are still
below the fair level," a trader in Bangkok said. Prices in the physical market
suggest Tocom should be around Y320-Y330/kg, the trader said.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.9 lower at Y310/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 2.0%
higher, reflecting expectations that Beijing will loosen monetary policy amid
slowing economic growth.

Physical rubber prices also rose, tracking futures. Trade was active, with
many bids coming in, a major exporter in Bangkok said.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 18, 2012 06:47 ET (10:47 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041812 10:47 -- GMT

4/17/12: NR Prices Close Marginally Lower

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 17 Apr 2012

NR Prices Close Marginally Lower

Tocom market continued to drift lower but at a slower pace today. The benchmark opened at 307.0 Yen/kilo and traded down by 3.3 Yen to end the day at 302.7 Yen/kilo. Total volume was 5,334 lots and during the evening kerb session, prices made a slight recovery by 2.1 Yen to 304.8 Yen/kilo.

Shanghai had a mixed day with the most active September position settling 90 rmb lower at 26,430 rmb. Volume for the September contract was only 213,928 lots.

SGX-Sicom saw light activity and closed Rss3 down 4.0 to up 1.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 0.2 to up 1.4 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settle Mixed; Traders Watch For Thai Intervention

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mixed Tuesday as Europe's
sovereign debt crisis continued to undermine sentiment but gains in crude-oil
prices late in the Asian day provided some support.

Traders will now closely watch for any signs of market intervention by the
Thai government as trading resumes following the long Songkran holiday.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y3.3 lower at Y302.7 a kilogram after hitting a three-month low
intraday.

There are few bullish factors supporting prices as Thailand's low-production
season nears an end amid intensifying concerns about slowing global economic
growth, a Bangkok-based trader at a major exporter said.

"Without Thai government intervention, prices may well fall below [key
support at] Y300/kg. Supply and demand is fairly balanced, so it's not really
about that. It's a psychological game. If the Thai government steps in, buyers
from China will be prompted to buy more aggressively."

September Tocom rubber closed Y2.1 higher at Y304.8/kg in the night session
as crude-oil prices rose. The night session is considered part of the next
trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
little changed at CNY26,475 a metric ton.

Asian physical rubber prices were mostly lower and Chinese buyers were in the
market for supplies.

Raw material USS3 arrivals at the central markets were extremely low at just
1 metric ton, as rain hit southern Thailand in the past few days, a trader in
Yala province said.

He added that there was little selling interest due to low prices, while some
producers might still be in a holiday mood and on the sidelines after the
Songkran festival due to market uncertainties.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 17, 2012 06:49 ET (10:49 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041712 10:49 -- GMT

4/16/12: Monday Market Weaker In Asia

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 16 Apr 2012

Monday Market Weaker In Asia

The weak economic data filtering through the market continued to dampen sentiment on the Tocom market. The market opened the week sharply lower and the benchmark hit an intra day low of 302.7 Yen/kg during early trade. Thereafter market activity drifted and made a slow recovery to end the day at 306.0 Yen (down 3.4 Yen from last Friday's settlement).

In Shanghai rubber prices came down by 135 RMB to end at 26,520 RMB on the most active position.

Singapore lost ground as well with 3RSS losing between 1.5 and 5 usc/kg and TSR 20 down 1.1 to 5.2 usc/kg. Physical prices are plentiful.

DJ MARKET TALK: Asian Physical Rubber Lower; Chinese Buying In Focus

0958 GMT [Dow Jones] Asian physical rubber prices are lower on worries
over demand due to persistent macroeconomic concerns. Traders expect buyers
from China to take the opportunity to secure supply and buy on dips as stocks
in Qingdao are being drawn down. But Chinese buyers tend to bid low, making
trading difficult, says a trader in Bangkok. Some Thai exporters are back in
business after the Songkran festival. For a breakdown of cash prices for all
rubber grades, keyword search ASIAN PHYSICAL RUBBER. (huileng.tan@dowjones.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 16, 2012 05:58 ET (09:58 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041612 09:58 --

Sicom Rubber Futures Fall On Renewed Concern Over Euro Zone

0440 GMT [Dow Jones] Sicom rubber futures are lower midday, tracking
losses on broader markets due to renewed worry about the euro-zone debt crisis.
Sicom trade may be slow Monday because of a public holiday in Thailand; traders
are watching the key Y300/kg support level on Tocom for cues. The benchmark
Sicom May RSS3 contract is untraded; the nearest traded contract--July--is 2
U.S. cents lower at 382 cents/kg. The May TSR20 contract is untraded; the June
contract is down 3 cents at 360.5 cents/kg. (huileng.tan@dowjones.com)

Contact us in Singapore. 65 64154 140; MarketTalk@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 16, 2012 00:40 ET (04:40 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041612 04:40 -- GMT

4/13/12: Friday NR Prices Lower

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 13 Apr 2012

Friday Market Prices Lower

Tocom opened this morning unchanged but lower than expected China GDP data took the shine off the market. The benchmark slipped below the 310 Yen level to end the week at 309.4 Yen - a drop of 4.0 Yen from yesterday's settlement. Total traded voume was 7,595 lots .

The below expectation GDP data dampened sentiment on the Shanghai market which ended the day 195 RMB lower at 26,655 RMB.

SICOM closed mixed today with 3RSS off -1.2 to -4.2 usc/kg and TSR 20 closed from down 1.3 to up 2.5 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower On Weak China GDP; Thai Holiday Slows Trade

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled lower Friday as China's
first-quarter gross domestic product data raised concerns about global growth
and demand for commodities. China is the world's largest consumer and importer
of natural rubber.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled Y4
lower at Y309.4 a kilogram after hitting an 11-week low.

Kaname Gokon, Tokyo-based deputy general manager at Okato Shoji, said Tocom
may fall further after closing below previous support of Y310/kg.

September Tocom rubber closed Y2.3 higher at Y311.7/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
0.3% lower.

SHFE's downside was limited after the exchange said Friday that deliverable
natural rubber stocks in warehouses it monitored fell 11.9% from a week ago.

China's tire production in March rose 3.5% from a year earlier to 74.76
million units, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. In the first
three months of the year, tire output totaled 197.52 million units, an increase
of 6.8% from the same period last year, it said.

Physical rubber prices fell, tracking losses in futures markets. The Thai
market was closed for the Songkran festival, further reducing already thin
trading volume ahead of the weekend, traders say.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 13, 2012 06:46 ET (10:46 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

4/11/12: Market Closes Well Down Despite Earthquake

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 11 Apr 2012

NR Markets close well down

The bearish sentiment from the overnight markets reached the Eastern shores this morning and this led to Tocom's benchmark opening at 312.4 Yen/kilo (down 9.8 yen) Trading stayed depressed during the day and the benchmark finally settled at 310.2 Yen (down 12.0 Yen from yesterday's settlement). Total traded volume saw an improvement to 11,071 lots.

Shanghai was also weighed down by selling sentiment. It traded as low as 26,585 rmb (down 735 rmb) for the September position, before closing 640 rmb lower at 26,680 rmb.

SGX-Sicom moved lower in similar vein with 3RSS down 5.5 to 6.5 usc/kg and TSR 20 off 5.8 to 7.0 usc/kg.

The 8.6 magnitude earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra this afternoon appears to have had a horizontal motion as opposed to a vertical motion and resulted in much less damage than the tsunami of 2004. Indonesians are panicked, but the problem initially does not seem as bad as last time. As of this writing, several countries remain under tsunami watch. Here is a recent New York Times article on the earthquake. From a rubber point of view - the earthquake was on the western side of north Sumatra and our major north Sumatra rubber port of origin, Belawan, is on the eastern side of the island.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower On Europe; Traders Gauge Impact Of Earthquake

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled lower Wednesday as investors were
rattled by renewed fears about Europe's debt crisis, with recent worries about
China's growth also weighing on prices.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 3.7% lower at Y310.2 a kilogram after losing as much as 3.8% to hit a
nine-week low, with a strong yen also exerting downward pressure.

Bangkok-based DS Futures analyst Chaiwat Muenmee said there may be more
downside for Tocom Thursday, ahead of the four-day Songkran holiday weekend, as
Thai participants exit the market.

However, it may be limited as the Thai government's price intervention
measures support, he added.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.4 higher at Y311.6/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

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

China's March passenger vehicle sales rose 4.5% from a year earlier to 1.4
million vehicles, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said after
market hours.

Sales were also 15.4% higher from February, the semi-official industry said
in a statement.

However, for the first three months of the year, sales were 1.3% lower on
year at 3.77 million units.

Asian physical rubber prices were lower in line with the selloff in futures
markets.

Trade participants said a massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra
affected operations at the Phuket headquarters of Von Bundit, Thailand's
largest exporter. A trading executive at the firm said staff members felt
tremors from the earthquake, which affected the mobile phone network and
disrupted trading. Thai authorities have issued a tsunami warning for Phuket.

"If there's a tsunami, the Thai economy could be hit again," a trader in Yala
province said. The country is just recovering from the impact of widespread
floods last year.

A Singapore-based dealer said the impact on Indonesian trade, if any, was
unclear, but his company's factory in Medan was unaffected.

...

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 11, 2012 07:19 ET (11:19 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041112 11:19 -- GMT

4/10/12: NR Prices Lower This Morning

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 10 Apr 2012

NR Markets close a tad lower

The softer equity markets caused Tocom to endure another lethargic trading day. The benchmark opened down 1.5 yen at 323.4 yen/kilo and settled 2.7 Yen lower at 322.2 Yen/kilo, after staying range bound between 325.4 to 321.4 Yen through the day. Total volume was a notch lower at 4,543 lots. The strength of the Yen, as it tested the 81.00 Yen mark, forced the benchmark to close below the 320 Yen level at 319.9 Yen/kilo during the evening kerb session.

The most active September position in Shanghai recouped the 120 rmb it lost yesterday to settle at 27,320 rmb. However the volume on the September contract was light at 426,484 lots.

SGX-Sicom saw some further easing to close down for Rss3 0.8 to 2.1 usc/kg and Tsr20 0.8 to 2.0 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Mostly Lower Ahead Of Thai Holiday; Strong Yen Hits Tocom

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mostly lower Tuesday in the wake
of disappointing U.S. jobs data and Chinese trade and inflation data.

Trading was thin because many traders in Thailand are closing positions or
have already left for the Thai New Year holiday that begins this week.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y2.7 lower at Y322.2 a kilogram, after trading in a narrow range,
reflecting a stronger yen after the Bank of Japan left its policy rate
unchanged.

A trader in southern Thailand said Tocom may fall further as investors
liquidate positions ahead of the long Songkran holiday weekend in Thailand, but
losses may be limited due to the Thai government's price-intervention measures.

Many traders were also watching output from Thailand. The major rubber
producer is expected to exit the low-production season soon, weather
permitting.

September Tocom Rubber closed Y2.3 lower at Y319.9/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
just CNY5 higher, as weaker-than-expected March import growth data exacerbated
concerns about the country's economic outlook and raised expectations of
further monetary easing from Beijing in the near term.

China's imports of natural rubber in March fell 9.5% on year but rose 27% on
month to 190,000 metric tons, Customs data showed. The strong on-month rise is
due to restocking after Qingdao warehouse inventories had declined in previous
months, trade participants said.

Physical rubber prices mostly fell, tracking losses on bellwether Tocom. A
Singapore-based dealer said Thai offer prices were far too high and many
sellers were finding it difficult to close deals with bid prices much lower.

The Singapore Exchange's Sicom RSS3 fell up to some 30 U.S. cents/kg in the
afternoon, reflecting the gap in seller-buyer expectations ahead of the
Songkran holiday, he said. Sicom rubber is closely tracked and used as a
benchmark by physical traders.
...

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 10, 2012 06:44 ET (10:44 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 041012 10:44 -- GMT

4/9/12 - Markets start the week on a lower night

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Mon, 9 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 09 Apr 2012

NR Markets start the week on a lower note

Tocom market continued to trade easier. The benchmark opened 3.9 yen lower at 322.1 yen. It slipped to an intra-day low of 321.0 Yen before regaining its footing to end the day at 324.9 Yen (1.1 Yen lower than last Friday's settlement of 326.0 Yen). Total volume remains thin at just 4,792 lots. The evening session lost some more ground, closing 2 yen lower.

Shanghai also ended the day easier with the most active September position closing 120 rmb lower at 27,200 rmb, on light volume.

SGX-Sicom closed mixed, in subdued trading, with Europe still shut. Rss3 closed down 1.7 to up 0.8 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 0.6 to 1.3 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Mixed; China, US Data, Yen Weigh

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mixed Monday, with Chinese
inflation, which accelerated in March, and weak American employment numbers
weighing on prices, while the ongoing low-production season provided support.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y1.1 lower at Y324.9 a kilogram after hitting a fresh one-month low, as
a stronger yen also weighed on rubber futures on the bellwether Tokyo Commodity
Exchange.

Kaname Gokon, Tokyo-based deputy general manager at Okato Shoji, said Tocom
faces further downside risk due to currency factors and macroeconomic concerns.
He tipped Tocom's support at the intraday and one-month low of Y321/kg.

September Tocom rubber closed Y2 lower at Y322.9/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
0.4% higher at CNY27,300 a metric ton.

The Thai market was closed Monday for a holiday.

Physical rubber prices were mixed, caught between supply worries and
macroeconomic concerns.

Although Qingdao warehouse stocks are falling, most bids from Chinese buyers
were still far too low for trades, Thai exporters said.

Buyers are also hoping for increased production after the Songkran festival
as Thailand is expected to start exiting the wintering season.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 09, 2012 06:46 ET (10:46 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 040912 10:46 -- GMT

4/5/12: Market Little Changed

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 5 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 05 Apr 2012

NR Markets recover after earlier losses

Tocom opened the day rather weak on some cut-loss selling, on the back of lower financial Markets. The benchmark contract opened down 5 yen at 322.5 yen/kilo. However it recovered most of the day closed about unchanged from yesterday's evening session at 326.8 yen/kilo. Volume improved to 7,767 lots. In the evening session, Tocom felt a little top-heavy and started to gradually decline to close the day at 325 (1.1 yen below yesterday and down 7 yen from the high of the week).

Shanghai reopened after a three day holiday. May closed the day slightly higher at 28100 rmb (up 120 rmb from the close last Friday).

SGX-Sicom opened down 1-2 usc/kilo, but picked up ground as Tocom headed higher. Rss3 closed down 1.5 to up 0.2 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 1.5 to up 0.8 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower Ahead Of Holidays; Euro-Zone Worries Weigh

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled lower Thursday as European
sovereign debt concerns resurfaced ahead of the Easter holidays. Major producer
Thailand will also be closed Friday for another public holiday and trade is
expected to wind down ahead of the Songkran festival, which starts next Friday.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y1 lower at Y326.5 a kilogram, after dropping to a one-month low early
in the trading day.

Tocom market participants were covering short positions late in the session
as Shanghai rubber pared losses, Kaname Gokon, Tokyo-based deputy general
manager at Okato Shoji, said.

Tocom trade is likely to be slow Friday, moving in a narrow range of
Y320-Y328/kg, due to the holidays, he added.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.5 lower at Y325/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Benchmark September natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled
0.9% lower at CNY27,095 a metric ton in its first trading day of the quarter,
after falling by as much as 2.6% in early trade.

SHFE rubber's upside came from Chinese equities, which rose on a slew of
positive news and a stronger official Purchasing Managers Index reading that
came during a three-day holiday.

Physical rubber prices were little changed, with low bids from Chinese
buyers--who returned to the market after holidays--due to weak futures limiting
upside support from the low-production season.

Traders said Malaysian supplies are extremely tight due to unseasonal rain,
so there is barely any selling interest.

"It's not a matter of price, it's a matter of supply," a Singapore-based
dealer said.
...
-By Huileng Tan, Dow Jones Newswires, +65 6415 4083; huileng.tan@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 05, 2012 06:50 ET (10:50 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 040512 10:50 -- GMT

4/4/12: Market Off Again Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 4 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 04 Apr 2012

NR Markets Off Again Today

Tocom market remains in the doldrums.The benchmark contract opened 1.8 yen lower at 329 yen/kilo.It continued to drift through the day, closing at 327.6 yen/kilo (down 3.3 yen). Volume picked up to 5,394 lots. The evening session closed further down at 326.1 yen.

Shanghai is still closed for a holiday.

Sgx-Sicom followed suit, closing lower, with Rss3 down 2.7 to 4.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 down 3.5 to 4.6 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Lower As FOMC Disappoints; Focus On China

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled lower Wednesday amid broad
declines in industrial commodities after the latest U.S. Federal Open Market
Committee minutes indicated that further stimulus measures from the Federal
Reserve are unlikely in the near term.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y3.3 lower at Y327.5 a kilogram. The low-production season is
supporting Tocom rubber, but investors are cautious due to macroeconomic
concerns and public holidays in China and Southeast Asia this week and next.

Traders are awaiting cues from the Shanghai Futures Exchange, which will
resume trading Thursday after a three-day break.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.4 lower at Y326.1/kg in the night session as
crude-oil prices extended losses in Asian trading hours. The night session is
considered part of the next trading day.

Physical rubber prices were lower, with trade still slow as the Chinese
market was closed for a public holiday. Traders are focusing on demand from
China Thursday, when buyers return from holidays.

The Thai Rubber Estate Organisation won the auction for RSS3 at the Hat Yai
central market Wednesday.
...

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 04, 2012 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 040412 10:43 -- GMT

4/3/12: Markets Close A Tad Lower

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 3 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 03 Apr 2012

NR Markets close a tad lower

Despite a rebound in the Yen from 83.0 to 81.85 this morning, Tocom failed to show a similar reaction or any significant price movement. The price on the benchmark was restricted between 329.5 to 332.0 Yen/kilo through the day and total traded volume was a pitiful 2,706 lots. The benchmark eventually settled just 0.3 Yen lower at 330.8 Yen/kilo; and slipped by another 1.6 Yen during the evening kerb session to 329.2 Yen/kilo.

Shanghai still remains closed for a Holiday.

SGX-Sicom had a similar quiet day - probably without the input from Shanghai. Rss3 closed down 0.4 to 3.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 was down 0.3 to 1.5 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Little Changed; Yen Weighs On Tocom

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled little changed Tuesday in
sluggish, directionless trade on all futures exchanges, with investors on the
sidelines due to a lack of strong cues and ahead of key economic data expected
later this week.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y0.3 lower at Y330.8 a kilogram, after fluctuating in a narrow range,
as the strong yen also weighed.

Trade may be slow for the rest of the week due to caution. The Shanghai
Futures Exchange will resume trade only on Thursday, while the Thai market will
be closed Friday for a public holiday. Some factories in Thailand will extend
holidays to next week, ahead of the Songkran festival which starts next Friday.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.6 lower at Y329.2/kg in the night session,
as crude-oil prices extended losses in Asian trading hours. The night session
is considered part of the next trading day.

Physical rubber prices were little changed amid slow trade. Traders in
Thailand said bids were too low for them to close deals.

Thailand's Rubber Estate Organization participated in a central market
auction Tuesday, a move that may limit downside, a trader in Thailand said.

The REO was bidding for RSS3 at Hat Yai central market, but didn't win the
auction, the trader said.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 03, 2012 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 40312 10:43 -- GMT

4/2/12: Market Prices Higher In Asia

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

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 02 Apr 2012

Quietly Steadier In Asia

Tocom gained support from a weaker Yen which drifted to 83.00 over the weekend. Prices resumed their rise from where it ended on Friday's kerb session and gained ground to settle the day at 331.1 Yen (2.1 Yen higher than Friday's kerb session or 5.4 Yen higher if compared to last Friday's settlement price). The total volume was 7,142 lots.

Shanghai will remain closed untl Wednesday for Qing Ming (tomb sweeping) holiday.

Singapore closed mixed overnight with RSS3 closing up 0.6 to 3.0 usc/kg and TSR 20 closing -0.2 to + 2.2 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher; Japan March Auto Sales Up 78.2%

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled higher Monday on the back of
positive Chinese PMI data over the weekend and U.S. consumer spending data
Friday.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y5.4 higher at Y331.1 a kilogram, with a weaker yen and a 78.2% on-year
jump in Japan's March auto sales providing additional support.

Japanese March auto sales rose sharply due to state subsidies for
fuel-efficient cars and a lower basis of comparison due to a massive earthquake
and tsunami last March.

A trader in south Thailand said the uncertain situation following bomb
attacks in the south has affected tourism, but the rubber trade hasn't been
affected so far.

September Tocom rubber closed Y0.9 higher at Y332/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

The Shanghai Futures Exchange was closed for a public holiday and will resume
trading Thursday.

Thai USS3 physical rubber prices rose with the low-output season advancing
toward its peak.

There were no arrivals at the Surat Thani central market Monday.

Asian physical rubber prices were mostly higher on Tocom gains, but trade was
slow due to the holiday in China.
...

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

--Hiroyuki Kachi in Tokyo contributed to this article.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires April 02, 2012 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 040212 10:43 -- GMT

DJ UPDATE: Global 2012 Natural Rubber Supply To Rise Less Than Expected

-- Global natural rubber production to rise 1.1% to 10.4 million tons

-- January production fell 12.8%, while exports fell 14.6%

-- First-quarter exports expected to drop 6.3% from a year ago

-- Supply "may not be comfortable" even after the wintering season

(Adds 2011 growth in second paragraph, decline in January production of top
three producers in fourth and fifth paragraphs, details about export fall in
sixth and seventh paragraphs)

By Huileng Tan
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Global natural rubber production this year is expected
to rise 1.1% from a year ago to 10.4 million metric tons, the Association of
Natural Rubber Producing Countries said in its March bulletin.

The latest forecast is lower than the association's projection of 10.5
million tons a month ago. It is also sharply lower than the 8.6% growth
recorded in 2011.

The downward revision in supply outlook is partly due to a 12.8% drop in
global production in January, largely tracking lackluster Chinese demand, the
association said.

In particular, January production fell 24% in Thailand, 3.2% in Indonesia and
22% in Malaysia. The three countries account for some two-thirds of global
output. Malaysia's production has also been affected by unseasonal rain, ANRPC
noted.

ANRPC expects a 5.1% on-year fall in supply in the first quarter of 2012.

January exports from ANRPC members also fell 14.6% from a year ago, "largely
reflecting a slow demand from China. Slow export demand from China is partly
due to an ongoing shift of light manufacturing to countries with lower wages."

Total exports for the first quarter of this year are expected to fall 6.3%
from a year ago, while exports for the whole year are expected to rise 1.0%
from 2011--another downward revision from the 2.7% anticipated last month.

Still, supply will be tight through April due to seasonal factors, the
association said.

"On account of slow output growth anticipated for the year, the supply may
not be comfortable even if the wintering season is over."

ANRPC members account for 92% of global natural rubber output.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires March 30, 2012 07:32 ET (11:32 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 033012 11:32 -- GMT

3/30/12: NR Prices Mixed Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 30 Mar 2012

NR Prices Mixed In Asia

Market sentiment continue to be clouded by less than favourable economic news and together with a steadier Yen kept Tocom under pressure this morning. The benchmark lost 3.4 Yen to settle the day session at 325.7 Yen but Tocom managed to recover its losses during the kerb session. The benchmark moved back to where it started the day 329.0 Yen.

Shanghai began to see a shift in activity from May into September position, with May ending 85 RMB higher at 27,980 RMB while September fell by 180 RMB to 27,120 RMB.

SICOM closed mixed with 3RSS closing between -0.3 to +3.0 usc/kg and TSR 20 similarly -1.9 to +3.2 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Futures Settle Down; ANRPC Lowers Supply Forecast

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber futures settled lower Friday, as
persistent demand concerns weighed and as trade participants exited positions
ahead of the weekend and at the end of the first quarter.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y3.4 lower at Y325.7 a kilogram, with prices also coming under pressure
from the yen, which hit a three-week high against the U.S. dollar.

Tocom's losses may be limited due to the low-production season. Traders in
Thailand are also keeping their eyes peeled for any further price interventions
by the government.

September Tocom rubber rebounded to close Y3.3 higher at Y329/kg in the night
session, as the yen gave up some gains later in the Asian day and after the
Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries lowered its 2012 production
forecast.

The night session is considered part of the next trading day.

Global natural rubber production this year is expected to rise 1.1% from a
year ago to 10.4 million metric tons, the association said in its March
bulletin.

The latest forecast is lower than ANRPC's forecast of 10.5 million tons a
month ago.

The downward revision in supply outlook is partly due to a 12.8% drop in
global production in January, largely tracking lackluster Chinese demand, the
association said.

January natural rubber exports from ANRPC countries also fell 14.6% from a
year ago, "largely reflecting a slow demand from China," it added.

Natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.2% higher ahead of
a long weekend due to public holidays as deliverable rubber stocks in
warehouses monitored by the SHFE fell 11% from a week ago, the exchange said
Friday. SHFE will resume trading Thursday.

Asian physical rubber prices were mixed amid demand concerns, even as the
low-output season supported and bellwether Tocom rebounded in the night
session. Traders expect trade to be slow next week as Chinese markets will be
closed Monday-Wednesday for a public holiday. Some Asian markets will also be
closed next Friday for public holidays.
....

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires March 30, 2012 06:56 ET (10:56 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 033012 10:56 -- GMT

3/29/12: NR Markets Down Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 29 Mar 2012

NR Prices Down Overnight

Tocom prices retreated sharply as a weaker equity market coupled with a stronger Yen at 82.35 weighed down sentiment. The benchmark fell by 7.7 Yen to end the day at 329.1 Yen with total volume climbing to 15,877 lots.

Shanghai also came under selling pressure and the benchmark position traded 335 RMB lower to close at 27,895 RMB.

SICOM 3RSS closed down 2 to 4 usc/kg and TSR 20 followed suit with a drop of 1.1 to 4.5 usc/kg.

The market remains unbelievably rangebound. We have not seen this much stability in prices since mid-year 2009.

DJ Asian Rubber Futures Settle Lower; Japan Auto Makers Boost Output

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled lower Thursday amid concerns
about the health of the global economy, with below-expected U.S. durable goods
orders data Wednesday adding to a recent string of uninspiring U.S. and Chinese
economic numbers.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled 2.3% lower at Y329.1 a kilogram after hitting a three-week low of
Y327.4/kg.

Market participants were too nervous to establish new long positions after
the March contract expired, Kaname Gokon, Tokyo-based deputy general manager at
Okato Shoji, said, adding that Tocom will likely see further downside, testing
support at Y320/kg, if prices fall more than Y5 in one session to trip the
circuit-breaker.

September Tocom rubber closed Y0.9 lower at Y328.2/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 1.5% lower.

Asian physical rubber prices fell, taking cues from losses in rubber futures.
There were numerous buyers from China in the market but many bids were far too
low for deals, traders in Southeast Asia said.

Japan's three biggest auto makers Thursday reported a jump in domestic
production in February, amid surging demand sparked by government incentives
for purchases of fuel-efficient cars.

Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.TO), Japan's top car maker by annual production
volume, said it produced 346,215 vehicles, up 22.1% from a year ago, while
Nissan Motor Co. (7201.TO), the second-largest car maker, produced 111,786
vehicles, up 19.6%.
...

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires March 29, 2012 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 032912 10:43 -- GMT

3/28/12: Market Fizzles Out Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 28 Mar 2012

Market Fizzles Out Overnight

The bubbles fizzled out this morning as Tocom gave back the gains it made yesterday. The benchmark slipped by 3.0 Yen to end the day session at 336.8 Yen/kg and the slide continued into the evening kerb session to 335.5 Yen (down another 1.3 Yen).

Shanghai also lost traction and the most active position traded down by 320 RMB to 28,230 RMB.

SICOM was not able to buck the trend falling 1.1 to 1.5 usc/kg on 3RSS and -2.3 to +0.6 usc/kg on the TSR 20.

DJ Asian Rubber Mostly Lower; Thailand To Clear More Trees To Support Prices

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled mostly lower Wednesday in slow,
cautious trade, reflecting a lack of strong cues, despite the ongoing
low-production season and the Thai government's price-intervention measures.

Benchmark September natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y3 lower at Y336.8 a kilogram as market participants reacted to a
decline in equities and a stronger yen.

Tocom traders may continue taking external cues due to an absence of strong
fundamental indicators, reflecting a lack of unusual weather this wintering
season, a trader in Bangkok said.

September Tocom rubber extended losses to close Y1.3 lower at Y335.5/kg in
the night session, which is considered part of the next trading day.

Natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.7% lower.

Physical rubber prices fell, but some Chinese buyers were sourcing on the
international markets as warehouse inventories are declining in the main rubber
port of Qingdao, traders said. Natural rubber stocks at Qingdao have fallen 17%
to about 172,000 metric tons from 207,000 tons as of Feb. 27, traders said
Wednesday.

The figures include compound rubber stocks, which are high in natural rubber
content.

To further support natural rubber prices, Thailand intends to double the size
of the area it will clear of old rubber trees every year to 500,000 rai (80,000
hectares), reducing the annual supply of natural rubber by 65,000 tons, the
Bangkok Post reported Wednesday, citing the deputy agriculture minister.

The government will ask the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund to set
aside THB5 billion ($163 million) as compensation to encourage growers to cut
down old rubber trees, the Post said, quoting Deputy Agriculture Minister
Nattawut Saikuar.
...
-By Huileng Tan, Dow Jones Newswires, +65 6415 4083; huileng.tan@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires March 28, 2012 07:01 ET (11:01 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 032812 11:01 -- GMT

DJ Qingdao Natural Rubber Stocks 172,000 Tons, 17% Lower On Month -Traders

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Natural rubber stocks at the main rubber port of
Qingdao in China have fallen 17% to about 172,000 metric tons from 207,000 tons
Feb. 27, traders said Wednesday.

The figures include compound rubber stocks, which are high in natural rubber
content.

While the inventories have been in a downtrend since the start of the year,
they are still about triple the 60,000-ton level seen in August.

On Jan. 15, the stocks totaled 224,600 tons.

The decline indicates that users are drawing down on stockpiles in the
world's top consumer and importer, sparking some optimism for restocking, which
could support prices as major producing countries are in the low-production
season.

China sources most of its natural rubber from leading producers Thailand,
Indonesia and Malaysia.

Qingdao warehouse stock levels are not publicly released.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires March 28, 2012 04:31 ET (08:31 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 032812 08:31 -- GMT

3/27/12: Higher NR Prices Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 27 Mar 2012

NR Markets close higher

Following strong financial Markets, Tocom opened up 2.9 yen at 336 yen/kilo for the benchmark contract. It reached a high of 338.8 yen/kilo, before closing up 4.4 yen at 337.3 yen/kilo. Volume improved to 8,545 lots. The evening session saw some profit taking and closed down 1.5 yen.

Shanghai opened higher with the May contract up 250 rmb at 28,550 rmb. It recorded a high of 28,630 rmb before closing at 28,550 rmb, where it had opened. Volume was one of the lowest this year at 390,820 lots.

Sgx-Sicom followed the pack and headed to higher ground. Rss3 closed up 2.5 to 6.0 usc/kg and Tsr20 up 1.0 to 2.6 usc/kg. Volume was better.

DJ Asian Rubber Settles Higher On Bernanke Comment, Thai Developments

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber settled higher Tuesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke signaled U.S. interest rates may remain at the
current ultra-low levels.

Price-intervention measures by Thailand, the world's top producer and
exporter of natural rubber, and the rolling out of a minimum wage law from
April 1 in several parts of that country also supported prices.

The previous benchmark August contract on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y4.4 higher at Y337.5 a kilogram, while the new benchmark September
contract opened at Y341.2/kg and settled at Y339.8/kg.

September Tocom rubber closed Y1.5 lower at Y338.3/kg in the night session,
which is considered part of the next trading day.

Natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.7% higher.

Thai rubber futures on the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand also
settled higher. Trading volumes were the highest in two weeks as investors set
up new longs in the hope that the government will continue to intervene in the
physical market, after the Rubber Estate Organisation entered central markets
Monday, a trader in the south said.

Asian physical rubber prices were higher in active trade. There were many
bids Tuesday as market participants expect "more government buying," a major
exporter in Bangkok said.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 27, 2012 06:43 ET (10:43 GMT)

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

032712 10:43 -- GMT

3/26/12: Quietly Steadier Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 26 Mar 2012

Monday Market Report

Tocom had a very quiet day with a total traded volume of just 3,310 lots. The benchmark gained 2.5 Yen to end the day at 333.1 Yen as news of REO intervention in buying RSS at 112 Baht provided support to the market. However the small quantity transacted in today's intervention had minimal impact on the market as it continue to wait & see what's in store for tomorrow.

DJ Asian Rubber Futures Settle Up; Thai Intervention, Low Production Support

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber futures settled higher Monday as the Thai
government's THB15 billion price-intervention scheme for natural rubber picked
up pace as the Rubber Estate Organization moved into the central markets.

Benchmark August natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange settled Y2.5
higher at Y333.1 a kilogram on the price support plan, as the REO bought 72.6
tons of RSS3 at Hat Yai central market with a winning bid of THB112/kg, traders
in Thailand said.

It is believed to be the first day the REO had used the funds allocated to it
in the scheme to purchase rubber and support prices, they added.

Although some growers' cooperatives started buying rubber from growers above
market rates last week as part of the intervention scheme, they didn't buy
through competitive bidding processes.

The ongoing low-production season and a weaker yen also provided support.
However, bellwether Tocom has been sentiment-driven recently and its upside may
be limited by macroeconomic concerns, keeping traders worried as physical
prices in largest producer Thailand will likely to go up.

"Farmers will surely hold on to stocks now that the REO is competing with the
rest of us," a major exporter in Bangkok said.

August Tocom rubber edged down to close Y0.2 lower at Y332.9/kg in the night
session, which is considered part of the next trading day.

Natural rubber on the Shanghai Futures Exchange settled 0.9% higher.

Physical rubber prices were mixed, with Thai grades supported by the
intervention scheme.

Still, Thai exporters said trade was slow amid caution as futures were
rangebound.

"The price intervention plan seems to be having a limited effect," a trading
executive in south Thailand said.

A Singapore-based dealer said it was still a "buyers' market" Monday.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 26, 2012 06:58 ET (10:58 GMT)

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

032612 10:58 -- GMT

3/22/12: Asian Prices Slip Overnight

netops@edict.com (Whitney Luckett) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Posted by Whitney Luckett on 22 Mar 2012

Market Prices Slip In Asia Overnight

Tocom continue to trade in a lacklustre mood around the 330 Yen/kg level throughout the day. The benchmark eventually settled at 331.9 Yen to reflect a slight drop of 0.3 Yen/kg from yesterday's settlement. The Yen strengthened to 82.80 during late afternoon and this caused Tocom's kerb session to slide below 330 to 329.2 Yen/kg.

Shanghai turned easier with the most active month falling 335 RMB to close at 28,110 RMB.

SICOM closed down for the day with 3RSS prices closing off .4 to 2.0 usc/kg and TSR 20 down 1.5 to 3.1 usc/kg.

DJ Asian Rubber Futures Mostly Lower On China Manufacturing Data

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Asian rubber futures settled mostly lower as key
manufacturing data out of China confirmed a slowdown in the world's
second-largest economy.

Benchmark August natural rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange
settled Y0.3 lower at Y331.9 a kilogram. The low-production season in major
producing countries and the Thai government's price-intervention scheme are
supporting Tocom prices, but macroeconomic concerns persist and are likely to
weigh on sentiment, keeping Tocom rangebound, a trader in south Thailand said.

August Tocom rubber closed Y2.7 lower at Y329.2/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
0.3% lower after falling by as much as 1.1%, as rising expectations of policy
easing later in the year overcame concern about weak manufacturing data for
March.

The preliminary HSBC China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index fell to a
four-month low of 48.1 in March compared with a final reading of 49.6 in
February, data showed.

"Evidence of slowing Chinese demand for commodities...kept most industrial
metal prices in a holding pattern," Singapore-based Phillip Futures said in a
note.

Physical rubber prices were mixed, with some grades falling due to declines
in rubber futures. Chinese buyers have been more active on the international
market this week and spot demand may pick up as users draw down inventories in
Qingdao, a Singapore-based dealer said.

Thailand's vehicle production rose in February from a year earlier as most
auto makers' plants resumed normal operations after the disruptive floods late
last year, the Federation of Thai Industries said Thursday.

Production in February surged 11.6% on year to 168,221 units, and was up
19.8% over January's figures, the federation said in a statement.

Exports, however, fell 4.2% from a year earlier, but increased 44.3% from the
previous month to 77,314 units, it said.

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

(END) Dow Jones Newswires March 22, 2012 06:45 ET (10:45 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 032212 10:45 -- GMT