Rubber futures gain following sharp decline

Tokyo – Natural rubber futures have recovered from a sharp decline at the end of July, “driven by bargain hunting and consumer bids at the lower end of the price range,” according to Japan Exchange Group (JPX).

NR prices closed the first trading week of August higher across all major exchanges in light trading, said JPX 11 Aug.

Trading volume, however, “fell sharply” as uncertain market conditions kept many traders on the sidelines.

Prices also rose as investors expect the US central bank to cut interest rates by a quarter-point in September, after weaker job figures in July.

In Osaka, Japan, OSE’s January-2026 rubber contract rose 0.8% week-on-week in light trading.

In Shanghai, China, SHFE and INE rubber gained 1.4% and 1.2% respectively compared to the week before, both with lower volumes.

In Singapore, meanwhile, SICOM’s active November-2025 contract rose 2.5% with trading volume plunging nearly 47% from the previous week.

In terms of supply, weather conditions in major producing countries have improved, though scattered showers persisted in some areas.