Feb 21 (Reuters) – Global prices of natural rubber are likely to rebound in the next few months from multi-year lows as political unrest dents output in top producer Thailand and demand from China stays robust, industry and government officials said on the sidelines of a rubber conference in India.
China’s rubber consumption this year is likely to rise by 6.5 percent to a record 8.3 million tonnes as an expansion in local auto industry boosts demand from tyre makers, said Sunny Song, director at China Rubber Industry Association.
Here are some stories from the conference:
* Thai protests, China demand to bring bounce back to rubber
* Thai crisis undermines efforts to prop up rubber prices
* China’s 2014 rubber demand seen rising 6.5 pct y/y
* Global rubber use to grow faster in 2014 on Asian demand
* Thailand’s 2014 rubber output to fall on politics, prices
* Rubber prices to bottom out in 6-12 months-Olam CEO
* India’s 2014/15 natural rubber imports to fall on record output
(Compiled by Krishna Das; Editing by Anand Basu)
Source: Reuters
