* Japanese rubber futures fell on Thursday, extending losses
to a
fifth consecutive session, as a recent shrinking in factory
activity continued to weigh on demand sentiment, while losses in
the Shanghai market added pressure.
* Osaka Exchange's rubber contract for July delivery finished 3.4 yen, or 1.5%, lower at 225.6 yen ($1.75)
per kg, after hitting its lowest since Jan. 17 at 224.4 yen
earlier in the session.
* The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for
May
delivery fell 445 yuan to finish at 12,765 yuan ($1,901)
per tonne.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei share average closed up
0.2%.
* Japan's factory activity contracted for a third straight
month
in January, a private survey showed on Wednesday, although
manufacturers' outlook remained upbeat on improved supply and
price conditions.
* China's factory activity shrank more slowly in January
than in
the previous month, thanks to the end of the country's
zero-COVID policy, though infections among workers still
hampered production, a private sector survey showed on
Wednesday.
* Rubber markets are waiting for signs of a return in demand
in
top buyer China following the week-long Lunar New Year holiday,
and after the country lifted its strict COVID-19 curbs at the
end of 2022.
* Against the Japanese yen , the dollar fell about
0.2%
at 128.66.
* A stronger Japanese currency makes yen-denominated assets
less
affordable when purchased in other units.
* Asian shares soared on Thursday while the dollar eased
after
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said a "disinflationary"
process was underway, boosting risk appetite as investors hope
the climb in U.S. interest rates will come to an end soon.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's
SICOM
platform for March delivery last traded at 141.4 U.S.
cents per kg, down 1.8%.
($1 = 128.6600 yen)
($1 = 6.7142 yuan)
(Reporting by Matthew Chye; editing by Uttaresh.V)
For other physical rubber prices in Thailand, click on . For more details on Indonesian and Malaysian prices click on and .
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