Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended flat after falling earlier in the session on Monday, as weak fundamentals continued to weigh on prices. Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) futures, which set the tone for rubber prices in Southeast Asia, extended losses into a seventh session in early trade, amid fears over a possible escalation of the Sino-US trade conflict.
"Rubber futures will remain at low levels in near term, but might climb up later on stronger physical prices," said Hu Haitao, researcher, Yinglu Asset Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
The Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for February delivery finished at 165.9 yen ($1.49) per kg.
The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery rose 80 yuan ($11.67) to finish at 12,405 yuan per tonne.
The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for October delivery last traded at 131.4 US cents per kg, down 0.3 cent.