Rubber falls

Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures fell on Thursday, snapping a three-day rally, due to profit-taking as weak Japanese machinery orders sparked fears over the economy and led a slide in Tokyo stock market. The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for February delivery finished 1.4 yen, or 0.8 percent, lower at 172.9 yen ($1.43) per kg. It earlier fell to a low of 169.5 yen. The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery rose 35 yuan to finish at 11,765 yuan ($1,844.91) per tonne. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for October delivery last traded at 125.9 US cents per kg, unchanged from the previous day.