Natural rubber futures retreat on profit-taking across major exchanges

Tokyo — Natural rubber futures ended the first trading week of March lower across major exchanges amid active trading, reported Japan Exchange Group (JPX) 9 March.

The decline was driven by “long liquidation and profit-taking by commodity funds,” as prices had reached technically overbought levels in the previous week.

Over the week ended 6 March, trading activity remained active, with volumes rising across exchanges while open interest declined, indicating the closing out of long positions, according to JPX.

In Osaka, Japan, the OSE rubber contract for August delivery settled 1.1% lower week-on-week, JPX said.

In Shanghai, declines were steeper, with SHFE rubber futures falling 2.5% over the week, while INE rubber contracts dropped 3.1% week-on-week.

Meanwhile in Singapore, SICOM’s June 2026 rubber futures closed 2.5% lower compared with the previous week, with the exchange citing “profit-taking and long liquidation” as the main drivers.

JPX noted that geopolitical tensions could weigh on the market.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran amid the war in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes, with around 90% of carriers reportedly blocked and some shipments diverted to alternative routes, it said.

The disruption, JPX said, has pushed crude oil prices and freight costs higher, adding further uncertainty to commodity markets.