* Japanese rubber futures climbed on Monday, lifted by
soaring
crude oil prices, but the market remained tense amid uncertainty
over possible Federal Reserve rate rises and a slowing global
economy.
* The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for September
delivery was up 3.3 yen, or 1.6%, at 213.3 yen ($1.60)
per kg as of 0209 GMT.
* The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange
(SHFE) for
May delivery was up 35 yuan, or 0.3%, at 12,045 yuan
($1,748.95) per tonne.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei average opened up 0.58%.
* Japan's business sentiment soured in January-March to hit
the
worst level in more than two years, a closely-watched central
bank survey showed on Monday, as slowing global growth clouds
the outlook for the export-reliant economy.
* Likewise, China's factory activity growth stalled in
March,
weighed by slowing production and weaker global demand and
adding to uncertainty about a post-COVID recovery, a private
sector survey showed on Monday.
* Federal Reserve policymakers may take some comfort from
data on
Friday showing a key gauge of inflation cooling in February, but
it's far from clear if it marks enough headway for U.S. central
bankers to end their year-long campaign to hike interest rates.
* Still, oil prices jumped about $5 a barrel on Monday's
open,
jolted by a surprise announcement by OPEC+ to cut production
further in an effort to support market stability.
* The natural rubber market is helped by stronger oil prices
as
manufacturers are incentivised to shift away from synthetic
rubber that is derived from oil, driving natural rubber prices
higher.
* Oil prices surged on Monday after Saudi Arabia and other
OPEC+
oil producers announced a surprise round of output cuts, a
potentially ominous sign for global inflation just days after a
slowdown in U.S. price data had boosted market optimism.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's
SICOM
platform for April delivery last traded at 136.1 U.S.
cents per kg, up 0.3%.
($1 = 133.0500 yen)
($1 = 6.8870 yuan)
(Reporting by Carman Chew; editing by Uttaresh Venkateshwaran)
SINGAPORE, April 3 (Reuters) -
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