Rubber Futures Decline as Supply Outlook and China Concerns Impact Market

Natural rubber futures ended the final trading week of July mostly lower, with the Osaka Exchange being the only major market to post a weekly gain. The Japan Exchange Group reported that the OSE December 2026 rubber contract settled up 0.5% week-on-week in thin trading, while SHFE and INE rubber futures in Shanghai fell 2.3% and 2.5%, respectively. The SICOM October 2026 rubber contract in Singapore ended the week down 1.5% in quiet trading, with prices remaining within a narrow range. According to the Japan Exchange Group, increased production across Northern Hemisphere producing Asian countries, coupled with signs of a slowing Chinese economy, continued to weigh on rubber prices. The report also noted that expectations of higher interest rates, elevated crude oil prices, and persistent inflationary pressures could continue to weigh on commodity markets.