Key Tokyo rubber futures settled higher on Friday helped by rises in Shanghai, but lingering economic uncertainty and increasing supply from Thailand dampened sentiment, with many watching to see if key support at 350 yen could be maintained. The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for November delivery settled up 2.6 yen or 0.7 percent at 363.0 yen per kg.
The front-month June contract expired on Friday, finishing 0.1 yen higher at 378.0 yen. The contract for December delivery will become the benchmark. The most active Shanghai rubber contract for September delivery rose 0.2 percent to finish at 32,150 yuan per tonne, up from 32,090 yuan. Volume stood at 795,818 lots. Rubber supply has been rising as farmers in Thailand, the world's biggest rubber producer and exporter, have resumed tapping since late April.