Japanese rubber futures rose on Thursday, buoyed by supply concerns from heavy rains in top producer Thailand.
The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for May delivery 
TRB1!, TRB1! was up 1.6 yen, or 0.48%, at 335.8 yen($2.15) per kg, as of 0234 GMT.
The rubber contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) for January delivery RSS31! rose 120 yuan, or 0.79%, to 15,230 yuan($2,151.52) per metric ton.
The most-active January butadiene rubber contract on the SHFE (SHBRv1) gained 110 yuan, or 1.07%, to 10,390 yuan per ton.
Top rubber producer Thailand’s meteorological agency warned of heavy rains and accumulations that may cause flash floods and overflows, in its weather forecast from November 26 to December 2.
The yen 
USDJPY edged up to 156.16 per dollar as investors kept an eye on possible intervention from Tokyo to stop the currency’s relentless slide.
The Japanese currency has weakened nearly 10 yen since the start of October.
A weaker Japanese currency makes yen-denominated assets more affordable to overseas buyers.
Japan’s Nikkei 
NI225 surged over 1%.
Oil prices dropped on expectations of a ceasefire in Ukraine which could unlock Russian supply.
Natural rubber often takes direction from oil prices as it competes for market share with synthetic rubber, which is made from crude oil.
China’s Great Wall Motor 
601633 is targeting annual production of 300,000 vehicles by 2029 in Europe. It has also set a target of 1 million vehicles in overseas sales by 2030.
Automobile sales could influence the intensity of automobile manufacturing, which involves using rubber-made tyres.
The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange’s SICOM platform for December delivery TF1! last traded at 175 U.S. cents per kg, up 1.1%.
AloJapan.com