TOKYO—Natural rubber futures continued to gain for the second week in a row amid higher Chinese commodity prices and supply concerns.
The first full trading week of December ended higher across all major rubber exchanges in the Far East, Japan Exchange Group (JPX) reported Dec. 9.
Strong buying by speculators and Chinese commodity funds pushed prices to their highest levels in two months, according to JPX. Prices also were driven by heavy rain and floods reported in major producing countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
In Osaka, Japan, OSE rubber contract for May 2025 delivery rose 4.2 percent week-on-week in moderate trading, as "improved market sentiment" lifted prices.
In China, SHFE and INE rubber futures advanced 3.5 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively, compare to the week before.
In Singapore, SICOM's active March 2025 rubber contracts gained 4.2 percent week-on-week in active trading.
JPX noted that flooding in five provinces in southern Thailand disrupted rubber tapping across 800,000 hectares of plantations.
The impact of the flooding, it said, is expected to last for six weeks.
The rubber market's stronger sentiment was further bolstered by a recovery in global stock markets and growing anticipation of an additional U.S. interest rate cut.
