Tokyo futures mark time amid hopes of more stimulus for China's economy

* The benchmark Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for June delivery was little changed at 182.7 yen ($1.68) per kg by 0027 GMT, down 0.1 yen, or 0.1 percent, amid hopes of more economic stimulus in China, the world’s biggest rubber buyer.

* China is seeking a strong start to the economy in the first quarter to establish conditions favourable to achieving 2019’s major targets, state television reported on Monday, quoting Premier Li Keqiang.

* U.S. tire maker Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co said its tire volume in the fourth quarter declined three percent, against its prior outlook of about flat volume growth, due to weaker new car sales in China and India.

* TOCOM’s technically specified rubber (TSR) 20 futures contract for July delivery was down 1.2 percent at 149.2 yen per kg

* Key Shanghai futures ended overnight trading up 0.5 percent at 11,580 yuan ($1,713) per tonne

* The U.S. dollar was quoted around 108.54 yen, compared with around 108.70 yen on Tuesday afternoon

* Oil prices rose about 3 percent on Tuesday, supported by China’s plan to introduce policies to stabilize a slowing economy, reversing the previous session’s losses due to grim data in the world’s second-largest economy.

* Japan’s benchmark Nikkei stock average was down 0.5 percent after Wall Street gained the previous day on hopes of stimulus measures for China’s economy.

* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore’s SICOM exchange for February delivery settled at 133.10 U.S. cents per kg on Tuesday, down 0.7 percent from the previous session. ($1 = 6.7595 Chinese yuan renminbi) ($1 = 108.5200 yen)