Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures fell slightly on Friday, although eking out a small gain for the week, under pressure from a rise in the yen versus the dollar as trade slowed ahead of a series of holidays next week in Japan and China. The benchmark TOCOM rubber contract for October delivery settled at 257.1 yen ($2.60) per kg, down 2.0 yen or 0.8 percent from the previous close.
The contract earlier rose as high as 265.3 yen, the highest level since April 15, before reversing the gains to close lower. In Shanghai, the most-active rubber contract for September delivery rose 15 yuan to 19,080 yuan ($3,100) per tonne. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for May delivery last traded at 250 US cents per kg, up 4 cents.