TOCOM drops to 2-week low as Indonesia, Malaysia end export curb on July 31

Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) futures dropped to a 2-week low on Wednesday as investors were concerned that southeast Asia producers Indonesia and Malaysia may boost exports after ending their export curb.

* The benchmark TOCOM rubber contract for January delivery

finished 0.9 yen, or 0.5%, lower at 177.0 yen ($1.63) per kg, after hitting the lowest since July 16 of 174.5 yen earlier in the session.

* The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for September delivery rose 85 yuan to finish at 10,740 yuan ($1,560) per tonne.

* Under an agreement by the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC), Indonesia and Malaysia started curbing exports from April 1 for 4 months, which ended on Wednesday. Thailand, the world’s top rubber exporter, delayed its move, but began cutting exports from May 20.

* Japan’s benchmark Nikkei stock average slid on Wednesday, hurt by U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning to China not to drag out trade talks, while some disappointing earnings hit automotive parts suppliers and banks.

* Oil prices rose for a fifth day on Wednesday, supported by a drop in U.S. inventories and investor expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will lower borrowing costs for the first time since the financial crisis more than a decade ago.

* TOCOM’s technically specified rubber (TSR) 20 futures contract for January delivery closed down 1.6% at 150.8 yen per kg, after remaining at 153.3 yen for six straight days. The TSR August contract expired at 152.0 yen on Wednesday.

* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore’s SICOM exchange for August delivery last traded at 133.2 U.S. cents per kg, down 1.1%. It was hovering at the lowest since Feb. 15.