TOKYO, April 17 (Reuters) – Benchmark Tokyo rubber futuresfell 1.3 percent on Thursday, tracking declines in Shanghaimarkets amid worries over rubber demand in China, though volumesreturned to normal as Thailand markets returned after holidays,brokers said.
The benchmark rubber contract on the Tokyo CommodityExchange (TOCOM) for September delivery fell 2.9 yen tosettle at 214.9 yen ($2.10) per kg.
“Thailand’s central markets reopened an volumes at TOCOMreturned to normal,” said a Tokyo-based broker.
China’s economy is doing better than official data suggests,the Commerce Ministry said a day after figures showed growth atan 18-month low, adding that targets for exports and importsthis year should be met despite some caution over the tradeoutlook.
The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futuresexchange for September delivery fell 275 yuan to finishat 14,800 yuan ($2,400) per tonne.
The front-month rubber contract on Singapore’s SICOMexchange for May delivery last traded at 177.00 U.S.cents per kg, down 3.7 cents.
($1 = 102.2750 Japanese Yen)
($1 = 6.2214 Chinese Yuan)
(Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Joyjeet Das)
-Reuters
