Spot rubber prices improve
Kottayam: Spot rubber prices improved on Thursday. The market opened better and moved up further following the gains in futures but the late declines on NMCE and TOCOM kept it under pressure during the late trading hours.



Sheet rubber managed to finish better at Rs 138.50 (137) a kg after hitting an intra-day high of Rs 140 a kg on early trades. According to observers, the market lost the initial gains partially on buyer resistance amidst profit booking at higher levels.



Futures slip



The January futures slipped to Rs 137.60 (139.59), February to Rs 139.26 (141.41), March to Rs 141.21 (143.38) and April to Rs 143.26 (145.45) a kg for RSS 4 on National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE). The December futures for RSS 3 flared up to ¥261 (¥252) (Rs 136.03), January to ¥263.1 (¥253), February to ¥265.2 (¥254.8) and March to ¥266.8 (¥257.8 a kg during the day session on Tokyo Commodity Exchange RSS 3 increased sharply to Rs 133.04 (128.87) a kg at Bangkok. The grade moved up to Rs 132.47 (130.53) a kg on Singapore Commodity Exchange. (BS)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/12/18/stories/2009121850871600.htm

Rubber prices rise 4.5% in two days
Kochi: The price of the benchmark RSS-4 grade rubber hit the Rs 140-a-kg mark due to tight supply, tracking the rise in Asian markets like Tokyo and Singapore, dealers said.



Although the Rubber Board placed the closing price of RSS-4 grade at Rs 138.50 a kg in Kochi and Kottayam, some traders said they sold the grade at Rs 140 a kg.



With today’s gains, RSS-4 grade has risen 4.5 per cent in the last two trading sessions, and is moving towards its all-time high of Rs 142 a kg recorded in August last year, dealers said.



The upsurge in price during the peak season of output is a matter of concern, said N Radhakrishnan, former president of Cochin Rubber Merchants Association. “I doubt whether the farmers will benefit from the present rise”, he said, adding the benefits had gone mainly to traders with good stock.



Going forward, growers may be tempted to hold back stocks hoping for a further rise in price — a move that may aggravate the demand and supply mismatch, he said.



The four-month period between October and January is the peak season of rubber output in the country. (BS)

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/rubber-prices-rise-45-in-two-days/379845/