* Japanese rubber futures edged higher on Thursday to extend
gains
for a fifth consecutive session, supported by a stronger
Shanghai market, although gains were capped as slowing domestic
export growth dented demand sentiment.
* Osaka Exchange's rubber contract for September delivery finished 0.5 yen, or 0.2%, higher at 212.8 yen ($1.58)
per kg.
* The rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for
September delivery rose 55 yuan to finish at 12,040 yuan
($1,749) per tonne.
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei average closed up 0.18%.
* "Although prices are rising over falling inventories, this
upwards trend is unlikely to last as overall demand remains
weak, and the technical resistance level is going to be hit
sooner rather than later," said a Singapore-based trader.
* Rubber inventories in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai
Futures Exchange have seen five consecutive week-on-week
declines.
* Japan's export growth slowed in March, dragged down by a
drop in
China-bound shipments of cars and steel in a slide that
underscores concern about slackening global demand amid higher
interest rates and Western banking-sector jitters.
* The Japanese yen lost 0.1% to 134.82, after trading
above
135 to the dollar for the first time in a month on Wednesday.
* A weaker yen makes yen-denominated assets more affordable
when
purchased in other currencies.
* Asian stocks inched lower on Thursday, while the dollar
clung to
overnight gains in cautious trading as U.S. Federal Reserve
policymakers reiterated their commitment to reining in inflation
despite signs of mounting economic headwinds.
* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's
SICOM
platform for May delivery last traded at 138.4 U.S.
cents per kg, up 0.5%.
($1 = 134.5100 yen)
($1 = 6.8820 yuan)
(Reporting by Matthew Chye; Editing by Sohini Goswami)
For other physical rubber prices in Thailand, click on . For more details on Indonesian and Malaysian prices click on and .
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