SINGAPORE: Japanese rubber futures hit a 3-1/2-month low on Thursday, pressured by fears of a trade war between the United States and top rubber consumer China, although tariff reprieves for some automakers cushioned the fall.
The Osaka Exchange (OSE) August rubber contract ended daytime trade 0.6 yen lower, or 0.17%, at 353.4 yen ($2.38) per kg. Prices hit 347.6 yen earlier in the session, their lowest since November 19, 2024.
The May rubber contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) rose 180 yuan, or 1.04%, to 17,565 yuan ($2,425.70) per metric ton. The most-active April butadiene rubber contract on the SHFE ticked up 55 yuan, or 0.4%, to 13,700 yuan ($1,891.95) per ton.
“The trade war is adding volatility to the market, leading to cautious sentiment,” said a Singapore-based trader. US President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada took effect on Tuesday, along with a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20%.
Beijing retaliated immediately with hikes to import levies covering $21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products.
China’s exports growth likely slowed in the January-February period, as escalating US tariff pressures clouded the economic outlook.
Trump will exempt some automakers from new tariffs for a month as long as they comply with existing free-trade rules, the White House said on Wednesday.
Automobile sales could influence the intensity of automobile manufacturing, which involves using rubber-made tyres.
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