RUBBER-Japanese futures climb from 2-week low on stronger crude, weaker yen

* Japanese rubber futures inched higher on Monday, after hitting a two-week low in the previous session, lifted by rising oil prices and a softer yen, but rate hike concerns limited gains.
* The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for September delivery was up 0.6 yen, or 0.3%, at 205.2 yen ($1.55) per kg as of 0202 GMT.
* The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange (SHFE) for September delivery was up 55 yuan, or 0.4%, at 11,670 yuan ($1,696.96) per tonne.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei average opened up 0.65%.
* Rubber inventories in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell 0.7% from last Friday, the exchange said on Friday.
* U.S. employers maintained a strong pace of hiring in March, pushing the unemployment rate back down to 3.5% and signalling labour market resilience that will keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise rates one more time next month.
* Still, oil prices nudged higher in early Asian trade on Monday, supported by the prospect of tighter supplies from OPEC+ producers from May, but concerns about the global economic outlook capped gains.
* The natural rubber market is helped by stronger oil prices as manufacturers are incentivised to shift away from rival synthetic rubber that is derived from oil.
* Likewise, the Japanese yen fell 0.39% against the dollar to 132.66 as of 0207 GMT.
* A weaker yen makes yen-denominated assets more affordable when purchased in other currencies.
* Asian shares inched higher, while the dollar started the week on the front foot after the U.S. jobs data underscored tight labour market, stoking expectations that the Federal Reserve will
raise interest rates at its meeting next month.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's SICOM platform for May delivery last traded at 132.6 U.S. cents per kg, up 0.2%.
($1 = 132.6200 yen) ($1 = 6.8770 yuan) (Reporting by Carman Chew)