Tokyo rubber futures dropped to a one-month low on Friday as declines in oil prices and a firming yen prompted strong selling by investment funds, but growing supply concerns lent support. Rubber prices came under pressure on increasing concerns that a looming US recession and falling global equities prices could put a lid on investments in commodities.
The benchmark Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for June delivery fell as low as 286.7 yen per kg - the lowest for the contract since December 12. The key June TOCOM rubber contract closed at 288.4 yen, down 4.8 yen or 1.6 percent from Thursday.
"Selling pressure is growing, with long position holders looking to sell due to sharp falls in share prices in Japan and other places as fears over US recession are increasing," said Jun Nishimuta, an analyst at Kanetsu Asset Management in Tokyo.
"Further strengthening of the yen and more falls in stocks could trigger heavy liquidation in rubber," Nishimuta said. The key contract fell through the 50-day moving average of 290.4 yen. Technical trends could deteriorate further to trigger major sales by fund operators to cut their buy positions should the key contract break below 287.5 yen.
That level is a 50-percent retracement level between a low of 261.6 yen reached on December 4 and a 18-month high of 313.3 yen hit on December 27. Weak oil prices and a strong yen also dented rubber. US crude oil futures fell sharply on Thursday for the third straight session, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that the US economy faced weaker growth this year, although the Fed was not forecasting a recession.
Comments
Comments are closed.