Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended down on Tuesday, slipping from a five-month high hit in the previous session, on profit-taking and weaker Shanghai futures, dealers said. The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for March delivery finished 0.7 yen lower at 183.0 yen ($1.78) per kg. In the previous session, it touched a high of 184.6 yen, the highest since May 9.
The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery fell 25 yuan to finish at 14,340 yuan per tonne, after falling to a low of 14,125 yuan earlier in the session. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for November delivery last traded at 151.1 US cents per kg, down 0.5 cent. "It seems a few investors with short positions were still trying to unwind their positions, which limited losses in the TOCOM in an afternoon trade," said Toshitaka Tazawa, analyst, Fujitomi Co.