SINGAPORE: Japanese rubber futures fell on Friday, tracking losses in the Shanghai market as continued worries over an economic slowdown in top consumer China weighed on sentiment.

The Osaka Exchange rubber contract for January delivery was down 3.0 yen, or 1.3 %, at 227.0 yen ($1.67) per kg as of 0200 GMT. The benchmark has declined about 0.7% for the week.

The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery was down 210 yuan, or 1.6%, at 12,675 yuan ($1,861) per tonne.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei share average opened up 0.53%. China’s top officials called for more effective measures, including implementing growth policies, in order to aid recovery efforts as the struggling economy showed further signs of weakening this week.