* Japanese rubber futures edged lower on Monday, as losses in the Shanghai market, domestic equities and crude prices weighed on sentiment, although a weaker yen capped further decline.
* The Osaka Exchange rubber contract for July delivery was down 0.9 yen, or 0.4%, at 223.6 yen ($1.70) per kg
as of 0210 GMT. The benchmark contract hit its lowest level
since Jan. 17 at 222.8 yen earlier in the session.
* The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for
May
delivery was down 10 yuan, or 0.1%, at 12,610 yuan
($1,847.75) per tonne.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei share average opened down
0.44%.
* Oil prices eased on Monday after rising 2% in the previous
session as investors shrugged off the impact of Russian output
cuts, instead focusing on short-term demand concerns stemming
from refinery maintenance in Asia and the United States.
* The natural rubber market is hindered by weaker oil prices
as
manufacturers are disincentivised from shifting away from
synthetic rubber that is derived from oil, driving natural
rubber prices lower.
* The U.S. currency gained 0.18% to 131.63 yen ,
although
well within the range of the past week of 129.80 to 132.90.
* A weaker yen makes yen-denominated assets more affordable
when
purchased in other currencies.
* Asian shares slipped on Monday as investors hunkered down
for
U.S. inflation and retail sales data that could jolt the outlook
for interest rates globally, while tempering or accelerating the
recent spike in bond yields.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's
SICOM
platform for March delivery last traded at 137.3 U.S.
cents per kg, down 0.1%.
($1 = 131.6300 yen)
($1 = 6.8245 yuan)
(Reporting by Matthew Chye; editing by Eileen Soreng)
