Mixed trend in rubber

Mixed trend in rubber
Kottayam: Spot rubber witnessed a mixed trend on Friday. Marginal recovery in domestic futures and covering purchases at lower levels saved the market from further falls while sheet rubber finished unchanged at Rs 131.50 amidst scattered transactions. RSS 5 and ISNR 20 recorded nominal gains though the remaining grades failed to move up possibly due to the absence of fresh buying in the main marketing centres. Futures improve

RSS 4 improved at its February futures to Rs 133.30 (132), March to Rs.135.15 (134.02), April to Rs 139.10 (138) and May to Rs 141.60 (140.09) a kg on National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE). RSS 3 firmed up to Rs 141.08 (139.59) a kg on Singapore Commodity Exchange (SICOM). But the grade (spot) slipped to Rs 143.52 (143.58) a kg at Bangkok. The February futures for RSS 3 closed at ¥262.7 (¥265) (Rs 134.29), March at ¥264.7 (¥263.9) and April at ¥268.5 (¥267.4 a kg during the day session on Tokyo Commodity Exchange.

Spot rates were (Rs/kg): RSS-4: 131.50 (131.50); RSS-5: 129 (128); ungraded: 126 (126); ISNR 20: 129.50 (129) and latex 60 per cent: 90 (90). (BL)

Apollo Tyres to hike prices in March quarter
NEW DELHI: Apollo Tyres (APLO.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) plans to raise tyre prices in the March quarter to maintain profit margins as raw material costs rise, a top official said on Friday.

Hardening natural rubber and crude oil prices have prompted Apollo and its peers to raise prices to protect margins in recent months. Apollo hiked prices by 5 percent in January and by 3 percent in November. (Reuter)
http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINSGE60S0AX20100129