NR futures depicted a mixed picture amid “prevailing uncertainties,” reported Japan Exchange Group.“Volatile crude oil prices and profit-taking in synthetic rubber on the SHFE kept traders on the sidelines,” said JPX. Over the week to 10 April, trading volume “fell sharply” on China's SHFE and INE exchanges and the OSE in Osaka, Japan. On Singapore’s SICOM market, however, trading volume rose on “stronger consumer buying and physical demand.”
Selected rubber futures price trends on major trading exchanges
Exchange
Commodity
Delivery
Week to 3/04/26
Week to 10/04/26
% Change
Osaka
RSS3
May‘26
383.1 (JPY)
381.5 (JPY)
-0.4%
SHFE
SCR/RSS
May‘26
16,770 (CNY)
16,920 (CNY)
+0.9%
INE
TSR
May‘26
13,900 (CNY)
13,960 (CNY)
+0.4%
SICOM
TSR20
May‘26
201.5(US$c)
203.0 (US$c)
+0.7%
SHFE
BR
Mar‘26
17,335 (CNY)
16,410 (CNY)
-5.3%
(ERJ calculation for selected futures pricing, as tracked by JPX)
Making TDQ/TMQ anti-degradants for tire and non-tire applications
16 April
Arlanxeo
Opened Asian innovation centre
Changzhou, China
n/s
Upgrade to existing regional technical centre
15 Apr
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions
To establish new greenfield facility
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
n/s
To expand capacity in India by 30% by 2027
10 April
Cabot Sanmar
(JVJ
Expand the production of fumed silica capacity
Mettur, India
(Existing site)
INR2.2bn (€20m)
Broke ground on project, due on-stream Q4/27
9 April
Black Donuts - Nemus Materials
Scale up production of bio-based fillers
Kotka, Finland
n/s
Based on 80–87% natural rubber, 13–20% microfibrillated cellulose
9 April
Shandong Yanggu-Huatai Chemical
New 30ktpa rubber additives plant
Rayong, Thailand
Yuan273m (€35m)
Started up phase I – 10ktpa
8 April
ContiTech
New compounding centre
Mount Pleasant, Iowa
$85m (€73m)
Support hose & belt businesses
7 April
ZC Rubber
Approved plan to build new tire plan
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Yuan1.04bn (€130m)
5m/yr radial passenger car tires
1 April
Shoujia Technology
Steel tire cord plant
Romania
n/s
Secured Romanian government support
31 March
Zhongzhe Holding Group
Moved 200ktpa synthetic rubber project into trial production
Ningbo, China
RMB3bn (€400m)
SSBR and BR tire materials
26 March
Dynasol
Expanding nitrile rubber production
Altamira, Mexico
n/s
Adding nearly 5ktpa of NBR capacity
MARKETS & BUSINESS
Michelin expects global tire markets to remain weak in the first quarter of 2026, with original equipment (OE) demand declining across segments. In a pre-close call held 8 April, the French group said market trends are developing “in the expected directions,” with OE demand negative year-on-year and replacement demand “close to flat,” albeit with “strong regional specificities.” ERJ report