Tokyo futures jump 3 pct on rising oil, equities (Dec 21)

SINGAPORE, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Tokyo rubber futures
jumped 3 percent on Wednesday after upbeat U.S. 

and German data and strong demand for Spanish debt lifted equity 

and energymarkets. 
      
FUNDAMENTALS 
    * The benchmark rubber contract on the Tokyo Commodity
Exchange, May 2012, added 7.5 yen a kg to 278.8 yen by
0056 GMT after rising as high as 279.7 yen. The contract plunged
to a near 2-year low of around 248 yen in November.   
   * Global demand for rubber, both natural and synthetic, is
forecast to reach 27.2 million tonnes in 2012 versus 25.7
million tonnes in 2011, the International Rubber Study Group
said.   
    * U.S. housing starts and building permits jumped to a 1-1/2
year high in November as demand for rental apartments rose,
suggesting the housing market was entering a tentative recovery.
  
     * Suzuki Motor Corp plans to increase the annual
production of its fuel-efficient gasoline engine fourfold to
400,000 units per year, the Nikkei business daily said.
    
     * For a PDF of Reuters reports related to the producer
meet, click: http://link.reuters.com/jus94s
  
 
MARKET NEWS 

* The Nikkei average gained on Wednesday and looked set to
test major resistance at its 25-day moving average after smooth
debt sales in Europe and positive housing data in the United
States.   
    *  U.S. crude futures rose on Wednesday in early Asian

trade as stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data allayed

fears ofdemand falling in the world's biggest oil consumer.
  
        
    (GMT) DATA/EVENTS   
    0330  Japan BOJ rate decision          Dec      
  
    0900  Italy GDP prelim yy                       
  
    1500  U.S.  Exist. home sales % chg    Nov      
  
    1500  U.S.  Existing home sales        Nov       
                       
 (Reporting by Lewa Pardomuan; Editing by Sugita Katyal) 

Source: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/RUBBER-Tokyo-futures-jump-3-rsg-635511883.html 

MARKET NEWS

TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) – Key Tokyo rubber futures inched up early on Wednesday tracking gains in oil, with the market supported by the prospect of declines in supply after January and rising demand in China ahead of the Chinese New Year.

 FUNDAMENTALS

* The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for May delivery <0#2JRU:> was up 1.4 percent, or 4 yen, at 288.5 yen per kg as of 0025 GMT.

* The most active Shanghai rubber contract for May delivery rose 0.2 percent to close at 26,090 yuan per tonne. Volume stood at 639,788 lots.

* U.S. crude oil futures added to gains slightly in post-settlement trading on Tuesday after data from the American Petroleum Institute showed a 5 million barrel crude stocks draw last week, much more than forecast.

* The yen was steady against the dollar at 77.78.

* Chinese buyers typically restock ahead of the Chinese New Year, which starts January 22 this year, in anticipation of strong demand after the holiday season, while the market faces a seasonal decline in supply from rubber producing nations including Thailand after January.

* For the top stories in rubber market and other news, click , or

 MARKET NEWS

* The Nikkei share average edged up on Wednesday but looked likely to stick to recent ranges on investor hopes that warnings from Standard & Poor’s will spur euro zone leaders to agree to strengthen the region’s bailout fund.

Source: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/RUBBER-Tokyo-futures-higher-rsg-4228281460.html