SINGAPORE: Japanese rubber futures rose on Friday, tracking domestic equities higher, although prices have dropped nearly 2% this week as the latest round of Covid-19 curbs in top consumer China dented demand and risk sentiment.

The Osaka Exchange rubber contract for March delivery was up 1.6 yen, or 0.7%, at 230.4 yen ($1.57) per kg, as of 0200 GMT. The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery was up 60 yuan, or 0.5%, at 12,860 yuan ($1,794) per tonne.