Tokyo rubber futures ended higher on Thursday on speculative buying but gains were still capped by thin trading as investors waited for the US payrolls data on Friday, dealers said. The benchmark rubber contract on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange for December delivery rose 1.9 yen to settle at 246.9 yen ($2.48) per kg. "TOCOM gains were capped by thin trading as players wanted to see the US data before taking positions," said a Bangkok-based dealer.
TOCOM trading volume stood at 5,775 lots on Thursday, far below more than 10,000 lots traded normally, dealers said. Investors are awaiting the non-farm payroll data from the United States on Friday for affirmation that recovery at the world's largest economy is on track. The most active rubber contract on Shanghai Futures Exchange for January delivery rose 130 yuan to finish at 18,235 yuan ($3,000) per tonne. The front-month August rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange last traded at 225 US cents per kg, up 2.5 cents.