Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures fell for a second day, falling 1.3 percent, tracking weak Shanghai futures and an oil price decline. The losses in Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) futures, which set the tone for tyre rubber prices in Southeast Asia, were limited by a weaker yen against the dollar. "Weak undertones in Shanghai futures and the oil price drop hurt TOCOM," said a Tokyo-based source with a broker. The Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for February delivery finished 2 yen lower at 152 yen ($1.47) per kg.
The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery fell 325 yuan to finish at 12,055 yuan ($1,805.18) per tonne. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for September delivery last traded unchanged at 126.1 US cents per kg.