Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures rose on Friday after hitting a one-week low in the previous session as buoyant crude oil prices boosted risk appetite, but posted their first weekly fall in three. "The market has been really quiet this week with many investors away on summer holidays," said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst with Fujitomi Co "Higher oil lent support today, but gains were limited in thin trade."
The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for January delivery finished 1.8 yen, or 1.2 percent, higher at 157.0 yen ($1.57) per kg, moving away from Thursday's low of 154.8 yen, the lowest since August 12. The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery rose 110 yuan to finish at 13,085 yuan ($1,968.17) per tonne. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for September delivery last traded at 131.1 US cents per kg, down 0.7 cent.