* Japanese rubber futures opened lower on Wednesday, as
traders
braced themselves for more volatility ahead on hints of looming
rate hikes, although higher crude prices helped limit some
losses.
* The Osaka Exchange's (OSE) rubber contract for September
delivery was down 1.3 yen, or 0.6%, at 209.2
yen ($1.59) per kg as of 0215 GMT.
* The Shanghai futures exchange (SHFE) is closed for the
Qingming
Festival and trading will resume on Thursday.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei average opened down
0.62%.
* Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Loretta Mester
said
on Tuesday the U.S. central bank likely has more interest rate
rises ahead amid signs that the recent banking sector troubles
have been contained.
* Still, oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Wednesday
on
anticipated U.S. crude inventory declines and OPEC+'s latest
output cut targets.
* 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.
* Stocks struggled to make headway on Wednesday, the dollar
nursed
losses and bonds clung to gains, as signs of a slowing U.S.
labour market made investors nervous about the economic outlook,
while a bigger than expected rate hike lifted the kiwi dollar.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's
SICOM
platform for April delivery last traded at 134.0 U.S.
cents per kg, down 0.1%.
($1 = 131.7400 yen)
(Reporting by Carman Chew; editing by Uttaresh Venkateshwaran)
SINGAPORE, April 5 (Reuters) -
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