Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended down 1.4 percent on Friday, paring early losses of as much as 3 percent, as Shanghai futures recovered from steep losses following upbeat Chinese trade data, brokers said. The Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for May delivery finished 2.9 yen lower at 204.1 yen ($1.80) per kg. For the week, the contract rose 0.3 percent.
The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for May delivery fell 215 yuan to finish at 14,065 yuan ($2,126) per tonne.