Asian Natural Rubber Prices Face Sustained Pressure Amid Rising Supply and Muted Downstream Demand

The overall sentiments remained bleak as trading activity slowed down prior to the holiday season. The trading platforms in major Asian countries saw either very little movement or only small increases in prices due to lack of assurance from traders. There was some support from scattered rainfall in several Southeast Asian countries throughout the monsoon season but the amount of excess inventory and limited demand in large producing areas more than offset any small support provided by this weather event.

This consolidation was mirrored in the futures market for Natural Rubber on Regional Exchanges. The prices have been range-bound as traders attempt to weigh seasonal increases in production versus stable but slightly decreasing Tire Production. In China, an increase in Vehicle Sales at the end of November created some short-term optimism, but global concerns about declining demand for EVs and poor Auto Sales have...