Tokyo rubber futures matched a 30-year high on Friday on tight physical supply but dealers avoided aggressive buying ahead of important economic data from top consumer China at the weekend, which could set the tone for the market. China's consumer inflation may have hit 5.1 percent in November, the Economic Information Daily reported on Friday, without citing any sources, ahead of the release of November CPI and other economic data for the month on Saturday.
The most active Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for May delivery settled 1.6 yen a kg higher at 381.9 yen. It hit an intraday high of 383 yen, matching a 30-year peak struck in November. The most active Shanghai rubber futures for May delivery ended 2.1 percent higher at 33,805 yuan a tonne from Thursday's close of 33,100 yuan on short covering before the release of Chinese economic data.