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