* Japanese rubber futures edged lower on Thursday after a
four-session rally, tracking losses in the Shanghai market and
as slowing domestic export growth dented demand sentiment.
* The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for September
delivery was down 0.6 yen, or 0.3%, at 211.7 yen
($1.57) per kg, as of 0200 GMT.
* The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange
(SHFE) for
September delivery was down 50 yuan, or 0.4%, at 11,935
yuan ($1,732) per tonne.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei average opened down
0.47%.
* Japan's export growth slowed in March, according to
Ministry of
Finance data, dragged down by a drop in China-bound shipments of
cars and steel in a slide that underscores concern about slowing
global demand amid Western banking-sector jitters.
* Oil prices fell as muted U.S. economic data and
expectations of
interest rate hikes pushed up the U.S. dollar, prompting fears
of a stronger greenback hurting global oil demand by making it
more expensive.
* Weaker oil prices disincentivise manufacturers to shift
away
from synthetic rubber derived from oil, driving down natural
rubber prices.
* Asian stocks edged lower, while the dollar was on the back
foot
as investors remained cautious ahead of an expected 25
basis-point hike in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve
next month.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's
SICOM
platform for May delivery last traded at 136.9 U.S.
cents per kg, down 0.6%.
($1 = 134.7700 yen)
($1 = 6.8918 yuan)
(Reporting by Matthew Chye; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
SINGAPORE, April 20 (Reuters) -
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