RUBBER-Tokyo futures end up 1.1 pct on weaker yen

Benchmark Tokyo rubber futuresended up 1.1 percent on Thursday, closing up for the fourthstraight session, helped by a weaker yen, dealers said.

The benchmark rubber contract on the Tokyo CommodityExchange (TOCOM) for January delivery rose 2.1 yen tosettle at 201.4 yen ($1.94) per kg.

The contract rose to an intraday high of 203.7 yen, thehighest since Aug. 12.

The dollar rose to its highest in over four months againstthe yen at 103.965, not far from the April peak of104.13.

That makes Japanese currency-denominated assets cheaper whenpurchased in other currencies.

"The rise was due to the dollar," said a Tokyo-basedbrokerage source. "If it hits 204, then it's likely to gofurther upward to 207, but absent other factors, the market doesnot consider the bullishness to last several more days."

The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futuresexchange for January delivery rose 50 yuan to finish at14,970 yuan ($2,434) per tonne.

The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOMexchange for September delivery last traded at 164.00U.S. cents per kg, down 0.5 cent.