SINGAPORE: Japanese rubber futures jumped on Tuesday to their highest in more than two weeks, underpinned by weather disruptions across global producing regions, while stronger oil prices also lent support to the market.
The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for February delivery was up 14.1 yen, or 3.93%, at 373.0 yen ($2.66) per kg as of 0200 GMT. Japanese markets were closed on Monday for a holiday.
The contract rose to a high of 374.9 yen, its strongest level since Sept. 2, earlier in the session.
The Shanghai Futures Exchange is closed on Sept. 16 and 17 for the Middle Autumn Festival in China. The market will resume trading on Sept. 18.
Thailand’s meteorological agency warned of a “rather strong” southwest monsoon prevailing over Thailand from Sept. 16-17, and a “severe tropical storm” moving from the Philippines to China and upper Vietnam over Sept. 17-21.
Typhoon Yagi, a destructive Category 4 storm, roared past Vietnam and China’s southern Hainan province last week.
Oil prices extended gains as the market eyed U.S. output concerns in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine and expectations of lower U.S. crude stockpiles.
Natural rubber often takes direction from oil prices as it competes for market share with synthetic rubber, which is made from crude oil.
The yen rose to the stronger side of 140 during holiday-thinned trade on Monday, and had eased back to 140.96 as dealers returned to their desks in Tokyo.
A stronger Japanese currency makes yen-denominated assets lessaffordable to overseas buyers.
Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said the governmentwould continue to analyse the impact of the strengthening yen on the economy and respond appropriately.
The front-month October rubber contract on Singapore Exchange’s SICOM platform last traded at 190.9 U.S. cents per kg, up 1.3%.