Edaran Terhad

●25hb November 2016●

Disusun oleh Perpustakaan, UPP

Bank Negara's best available quotations by commercial banks of Kuala Lumpur at 5pm on Nov 24, 2016 UNITS OF FOREIGN CURRENCY PER UNIT OF MALAYSIAN RINGGIT_____________ ________________________________

Buying OD Selling ODUS dollar: 0,2240- 0.2244Sterling: 0.1804 0.1807Singapore dollar: 0.3211 0.3217Yen 100: 25.3674 25.4252Euro: 0.2122 0.2126Chinese Renminbi: 1.5495 1.5523Ringgit Malaysia per foreign currency

OPENING RATES BY MAYBANK ON NOV 1, 2016____________

SELLING BUYING BUYINGTT/OD TT OD

1 US Dollar................................. 4.5110 4.3990 4.38901 Australian Dollar.................... 3.3340 3.2330 3.21701 Brunei Dollar.......................... 3.1540 3.0590 3.05101 Canadian Dollar...................... 3.3450 3.2500 3.23801 Euro..........................................4.7630 4.6290 4.6090,1 New Zealand Dollar................3.1780 3.0540 3.03801 Papua New Guinea Kina......1.5290 1.2870 1.27101 Singapore Dollar.................... 3.1535 3.0590 3.05101 Sterling Pound........................ 5.6040 5.4730 5.45301 Swiss Franc.............................. 4.4320 4.3230 4.3080100 Uae Dirham.................... 124.6200 117.9700 117.7700100 Bangladesh Taka.......•........5.7790 5.4550 5.2550100 Chinese Renminbi............ 65.4000 62.8000 0.0000100 Danish Krone.................... 65.8000 60.4500 60.2500100 Hongkong Dollar.............. 59.0100 55.8700 55.6700100 Indian Rupee...................... 6.6850 6.2700 6.0700100 Indonesian Rupiah..............0.0348 0.0313 0.0263100 Japanese Yen...................... 4.0210 3.8920 3.8820100 New Taiwan Dollar.......... N/A N/A 0.0000100 Norwegian Krone..............53.8400 49.4500 49.2500100 Pakistan Rupee.................. 4.3900 • 4.1100 3.9100100 Philippine Peso...........•......9.1900 8.6500 8.4500100 Qatar Riyal...................... 125.4200 119.3000 119.1000100 Saudi Rival...................... 121.8600 115.6800 115.4800100 South Africa Rand.............32.7700 30.1700 29.9700100 Sri Lanka Rupee..................3.1400 2.8700 2.6700100 Swedish Krona..................50.2400 45.6900 45.4900100 Thai Baht............................13.5000 11.4000 11.0400

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR LThe Malaysian rubber market extended its its rally yesterday with the SMR 20 hitting its highest level since September 2013, aided by speculative buying and a weaker ringgit against US dollar, said a deal­er.

The dealer said the softer ringgit had spurred stronger overseas demand for local rubber.

At 5 pm, the local currency was traded at 4.4570M640 against the greenback from 4.4400/4450 on Wednesday.

In addition, the dealer said the local rubber mar­ket also moved in tandem with the benchmark rub­ber futures on. the Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM), which was bullish yesterday.

At noon, the Malaysian" Rubber Board's official physical price for tyre-grade SMR 20 hit the highest level since September 2013, surging 29.5 sen to 807.0 sen a kg, while latex-in-bulk Improved seven sen to 576.5 sen a kg.

The unofficial closing price for tyre-grade SMR 20 increased 4.5 sen to 780.0 sen a kg while latex-in- bulk was 7.5 sen higher at 579.0 sen a kg. - Bernama

SMR PRICES FROM MRB IN SEIM A KILO: NOV 24____________

Offer Price Noon sell Closing sellSen/Kg US Cents/Kg Sen/Kg US Cents/Kg

SMR CV 883.50 200.80 880.00 200.00SMR L 841.50 191.25 838.00 190.45SMR 5 819.00 186.15 792.00 180.00SMR GP 816.00 135.45SMR 10 809.00 183.85 782.00 177.75SMR 20 807.00 183.40 780.00 177.25CENTRIFUGED LATEX - LOCAL PRICE (ISO 2004) IN MALAYSIANSEN/KG(WET)Offer Price Noon sell Closing sellLatex in bulk 576.50 579.00Note: Effective from Jan 2, 2014, MRB will publish only the sellers'offer price.FARM GATE LATEX PRICE:

Latex CuplumpLow High Low High

(sen/kg) (sen/kg)Peninsular 620.00 710.00 293.00 370.00Sabah 645.00 645.00 290.00 345.00Sarawak - - 179.00 330.00

US$Low High

Sabah 305.00 365.00Sarawak 286.00 560.00Source: Malaysian Rubber Board

AT A GLANCECOMMODITIES (NOV 24)________________________________

Tin (per tonne) US$21,400 +US$400Gold (per gramme) RM164.51 -RM3.15CPO Futures (per tonne) Dec RM3.010 +RM51US$ CPO Futures (per tonne) US$674.75Rubber (per kg) SMR 20 807.00 sen +29.5 senLatex 576.50 sen +7 senNOV 23Nymex Oil Jan (per barrel) US$47.96 -US$0.07

Bcrita Harlan2 5 NOV 2016

Indonesia sasar aktiviti hiliran sawit

Kamarulzaidi w -Kamis '** mkamarulzaidi@bh.com.my JJJ,,. jK Bali, Indonesia

Indonesia meluluskan undang-undang untuk mengawal selia dan memberi lebih insentif hiliran aktiviti perniagaan hiliran minyak sawit.

Langkah berkenaan sekali gus membuka peluang kepada syarikat perladangan Ma­laysia untuk meneroka serta mengembang- kan operasi hiliran di republik berkenaan.

Timbalan Menteri Penyelarasan Hal Ehwal Ekonomi Indonesia, Dr Wilistra Danny, ber- kata pelan Indonesia untuk Rancangan Un- dang-Undang Perkelapa Sawitan (draf rang undang-undang mengenai industri minyak sawit) sedang ditetapkan dalam Parlimen.

Rangka keija undang-undang baru itu di- lihat mampu mengawal selia dengan lebih baik dan merangsang pembangunan indus­tri minyak sawit Indonesia.

“Rangka keija undang-undang baru se­dang disediakan untuk undang-undang di Parlimen untuk berdebat. Ia akan merang- kumi aspek seperti penanaman, pelaburan, perdagangan, hak tanah dan kepentingan pekebim kecil,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pembe- rita di luar Persidangan Minyak Sawit In­donesia (IPOC) 2016 di Bali, Indonesia, se- malam. Yang hadir sama rakannya, Lukita Dinarsyah Tuwo, Setiausaha Kementerian Penyelaras Hal Ehwal Ekonomi Indonesia.

y to s & a

Kejatuhan nilai ringgit sementaraOleh SHARAIMEI B E n B T C H K g t ”" “Ekonomi Malay- Cabaran Kod Kebangsaan 2016 diSHAIK AHMEDULLAH j sia masih lagi kuat sini hari ini.ekonomi@utusan.com.my g|Hr * dan harga minyak Nilai ringgit merosot lebih----------------------------- i ^ ' d u n i a juga stabil lima peratus sejak Trump di-PUTRAJAYA 24 Nov. - ' iaitu tidak jatuh ke umumkan sebagai Presiden ASKejatuhan mata wang E r l . M paras AS$40 (RM176) yang baharu, menjadikannyaringgit yang berlaku setong, malah un- yang terburuk dalam tempoh 13sejak Donald Trump juransukuketigaper- bulan pada kadar RM4.45 ber-memenangi pilihan ra- tumbuhan ekonomi banding dolar.ya Presiden Amerika ■ ■ negarayangdiumum- Dalam pada itu, Mohd. IrwanSyarikat (AS) baru-ba- kan 0leh Bank Negara Serigar meminta orang ramai su-ru ini adalah bersifat M O H D . i r w a n SER IG A R Malaysia baru-baru paya menghentikan penyebaransementara dan dijang- inijugamenunjukkan berita negatif mengenai Malaysiaka mengukuh semula selepas ini. ekonomi kita sangat kukuh. sehingga mencetuskan kebim-

Ketua Setiausaha Perbendaha- “ Malah, pertumbuhan kadar bangan pelabur asing. raan, Tan Sri Dr. Mohd. Irwan Seri- Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar “Saya ingin nasihatkan supayagar-Abdullah berkata, keyakinan (KDNK) sebanyak empat hingga jangan sebarkan berita palsu danitu berdasarkan faktor pelaburan lima peratus pada tahun hadap- jangan mengkritik kerajaan se­asing yang akan masuk ke negara an boleh dicapai dan diperta- cara membuta-tuli, ini keranaini dalam tempoh terdekat dan hankan,” katanya selepas me- setiap perkara yang dilaksanakanpembangunan pelbagai projek nyampaikan hadiah kepada adalah baik untuk negara dan kerajaan pada tahun hadapan. pemenang dalam pertandingan rakyat,” katanya.

TPPA: Tindakan Malaysia selepas 20 JanuariKUALA LUMPUR 24 ber, Presiden AS yang tetapi adalah hasil daripada ka-Nov. - Malaysia akan baru dilantik Donald jian semula domestik berteru-mengambil tindakan jEKfegi Trump menyatakan san yang bertujuan untuk men-seterusnyahanyaapa- antara tugas per- gukuhkan dan mengemas kinibila terdapat pengesa- tamanya sebagai pre- beberapa undang-undang bagihan rasmi yang Ameri* siden adalah menarik memudahkan perdagangan danka Syarikat (AS) tidak ' . a p l keluar AS daripada memenuhi obligasi antarabang-akan menyertai Per- TPPA, katanya. sa, katanya.janjian Perkongsian “Sebaik sahaja kita “ Keputusan akhir mengenarTrans-Pasifik (TPPA). mendapat kejelasan cadangan pindaan itu bagaima-

“Malaysia akan me- daripada Pentadbiran napun akan dibuat oleh Ka-nunggu kejelasan le- B B I B B baharu AS selepas binet,” kata Mustapa sebagaibih lanjut daripada m u s t a p a m o h a m e d 20 Januari 2017, ket- memberi reaksinya kepada pe-,pentadbiran AS apa- ua-ketua perunding ngumuman Trump mengenaibila presiden baharu mengam- mungkin akan bertemu untuk hasrat AS untuk menarik d iri:bil alih jawatan pada 20 Januari menimbangkan pilihan dan jalan daripada TPPA.2017,” kata Menteri Perdagangan penyelesaiankatanya. Beliau berkata, semua 12,Antarabangsa dan Industri, Da- Sementara itu, Malaysia akan pemimpin negara-negara TPPA , tuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed meneruskan usahanya memin- bertemu di Lima, Peru, pada 19dalam kenyataan di sini hari ini. da undang-undang relevan ker- November 2016, untuk melihat

Keputusan ini diambil meski- ana perubahan kepada seseten- perkembangan terkini proses do-pun hakikatnya dalam kenya- gah undang-undang ini bukan mestik mereka masing-masingtaan terbaharu pada 21 Novem- hanya bagi mematuhi TPPA ke arah ratiftkasi. - bernama

B«rHs HariM

2 5 NOV 2016

TPPA: Tindakan lanjut selepas 20 Januari 2017

K e t U a Trans Pasifik (TPPA). 2017, ketua perunding mung- “Keputusan akhir berhubung■ Menteri Menteri Perdaga- kin akan bertemu untuk me- cadangan pindaan itu bagaima- n e ru n d in g nganAntarabangsa dan Indus- nimbangkan pilihan dan jalan napun akan dibuat oleh Ka-

' & tri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Moha- penyelesaian,” katanya dalam binet,”. katanya.ba ka I be rte m u med, ^erkata Malaysia akan kenyataan, semalam. Beliau berkata, semua 12 pe-menunggu kejelasan lebih lan- mimpin negara TPPA bertemu di

C a n 10 | a n jut daripada pentadbiran AS Pindaundang-undang Lima, Peru, pada 19 November' . apabila presiden babaru me- Sementara itu, Mustapa berka- lalu bagi melihat perkembangan□envelesaian ngambil abh jawatan pada 20 ta, Malaysia akan meneruskan terkini proses domestik mereka

' y Januari 2017. usahanya meminda undang- masing-masing ke arah ratifikasLKatanya, keputusan itu diam- undang relevan kerana peruba- “Semua anggota TPPA, kecu-

______________________________ bilmesMpunhakLkatnya dalam hankepadasesetengah undang- ali AS, sedang berada di pel-Oleh Suffian A B akar kenyataan terbaharu pada 21 undang ini bukan hanya bagi bagai tahap mendapatkan ke-suffian@bharian.com.my November lalu, Presiden AS mematuhi TPPA, tetapi adalah lulusan perundangan domestik

yang baru dilantik Donald hasil daripada kajian semula masing-masing.

Ma lays ia akan me- Trump menyatakan antara tu- domestik berterusan. “New Zealand sudah menye-ngambil tindakan se- gas pertamanya sebagai presi- Katanya, ia bertujuan me- lesaikan proses Parlimennya, terusnya hanya apa- den adalah menarik keluar AS ngukuhkandanmengemaskini Dewan Rakyat Jepun suah me-

bila menerima pengesahan daripada TPPA. beberapa undang-undang bagi luluskan TPPA yang kini akanrasmi bahawa Amerika Sya- “Sebaik saja kita mendapat memudahkan perdagangan mendapatkan kelulusan De- rikat (AS) tidak akan menyer- kejelasan daripada Pentadbiran dan memenuhi obligasi anta- wan Negara Parlimen Jepun,”tai Perjanjian Perkongsian baharu AS selepas 20 Januari rabangsa. katanya.

W T

We’ll wait for US notice on TPP, says MustapaT D A H F n p A l . ity from the US administration Mustapa said leaders of TPP mem- "I would like to reiterate our ear-I K M U C U C A L . when the new president takes office ber countries met in Lima last week, Her view that free and fair trade hasN s t i n n t n r n n t i n i l P onJan20.” 0 with all reaffirming their commit- benefited Malaysia. While globali-. I N d l l U l l LU L U I I U l l u c He said changes to some’laws were menttoTPP. sation and liberalisation may not bea m e n d i n g l a w s f o r not ,ust t0 comP'y with but “They were convinced of TPP’s perfect, free trade agreements com-

O were also a result of a domestic re- role in boosting the international- plemented with appropriate domes-a g r e e m e n t view meant t0 Strengthen and up- isation of small-and medium-sized tic policies and support measures

o date laws to facilitate trade enterprises. TPP also ere- can spread the benefits of develop-and fulfil international ates the enabling environ- ment in favour o f the poor and

A IN A N A SA obligations. ment for the future growth marginalised segments of society.KUALA LUMPUR The final decision on the X of e-commerce in the re- “As a trading nation, Malaysia will

news@mst.com.my proposed amendments, he gion. pursue preferential trading arrange-said, would be made by the " I “TPP leaders acknowl- ments that are fair and benefit our

MALAYSIA wi l l wait for cabinet. : j edged that TPP is a bal- country,” he said.greater clarity from the TPP, under the present anced and high-quality Trump had on Monday said he

United States administra- conditions for entry into I agreement that should not would move to withdraw from TPPtion before making any move re- force, he said, could not H H be abandoned. However, in the day he took office, in line with agarding the Trans-Pacific Partner- take place without the US’s S m B » § view ofthe uncertainty over central campaign pledge, addingship (TPP) trade deal. participation as it account- Datuk Seri the US’s participation, the that he had asked his transition

International Trade and Industry ed for about 60 per cent of Mustapa other countries, including team to develop a list of executiveMinister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mo- the combined gross do- Mohamed Malaysia, agreed to wait for actions to take from day one to re-hamed, in a statement released yes- mestic product (GDP) of greater clarity from the new store the country’s laws and bringterday, said until there was official the 12 members. US administration before consider- back jobs.confirmation from the US that it Under the agreement, a minimum ing any future options.” Second International Trade andwould not participate in the TPP, of six countries accounting for 85 He said all TPP countries, except Industry Minister Datuk Seri OngKa Malaysia would continue to amend per cent of the combined GDP of the for the US, were obtaining domestic Chuan and Singaporean Prime Min- legislation for the agreement. 12 members must ratify the deal be- legislative approvals, such as New ister Lee Hsien Loong said recently

“Despite the statement by pres- fore it could enter into force. Zealand, which had completed its that certain clauses in TPP wouldident-elect Donald Trump that one “Once there is certainty from the parliamentary process, and Japan, need to be amended into'anotherof the first tasks as president would new US administration, the chief ne- whose lower house had approved agreement if the US were to pull out be to withdraw from the TPP, gotiators may meet to consider op- the deal, which was now in the up- for other member countries to pro- Malaysia would wait for greater clar- tions and the way forward.” per house of Parliament. ceed.

Sun

Legislation changes to go on despite cloud over TPPPETMJftS MYIIs _ N ov 2i, that one of theInternational Trade and jfS *.,, ' first tasks as presidentIndustry Minister Datuk ||& /“ \ , would be to withdraw theSeri Mustapa Mohamed S j i V US from the TPP A,(pix) said Malaysia will s f ^ % Malaysia would wait forcontinue its work in 4 greater clarity from theamending relevant ifey . jfL + US administration whenlegislation despite the J H the new president takescloud of uncertainty office on Jan 20,2017.around the future of the Malaysia will take theTrans Pacific Partnership '**’ \ next course of action only(TPP). V \ when there is official

In a statement released confirmation that the USyesterday, he said the will not participate in thechanges to these laws are not just to TPP A,” he said,comply with the TPP agreement The TPP members agreed in Lima(TPPA) but are a result of the to remain in close contact and updateongoing domestic review meant to each other on developments in theirstrengthen and update a number of respective countries. Once there islaws to facilitate trade and fulfil our certainty from the new US international obligations. administration after Jan 20, the chief

The final decision on the negotiators may meet to considerproposed amendments will, options and the way forward,however, be made by the Cabinet. All the TPP countries, except for

Mustapa said the 12 leaders of TPP the US, are in various stages of countries at a meeting in Lima, Peru, obtaining their domestic legislativeon Nov 19, agreed to wait for greater approvals. N ew Zealand has clarity from the new US "completed its parliamentary process,administration before considering Japan’s Lower House of Parliamentany future options. has approved the TPPA, which is

“Despite the latest statement by now in the Upper House forUS President-elect Donald Trump on consideration.

8 « i

2 5 NOV 2016

Bank Negara expected to maintain key rate,SRR until Q3 next year

AmBdnk Research expects Bank Negara Malaysia to maintain its Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) and statutory reserve requirement (SRR) at 3% and 3.5% for 2016 until the third quarter of 2017, after the central bank took no action at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

“W e have placed a low 30% probability of a rate hike by 25 basis points in 4Q2017 on the back of 2-3 rate hikes by the US Fed, pick-up in inflation and steady domestic gross domestic product growth by 4.5% in 2017,” the bank- backed research firm said in its note yesterday.

The committee on Wednesday said it believes that fiscal stimulus in developed economies could result in a more balanced policy environment that will be supportive of growth. However, risks of protectionism and financial market volatility are a cause for concern.

Private consumption remains the growth engine, supported by sustained wage, stable employment, increase in minimum wage with effect from July 1,2016 and fizzling of the Goods and Services Tax impact.

Ongoing infrastructure investments and capital expenditure in both manufacturing and services sectors will continue to boost investment activities.

Meanwhile, export expansion will be constrained by external headwinds and weak prices while headline inflation is projected to remain tame amid subdued global inflation.

Page 1 of 1 © 2016 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Asian Rubber Prices End Higher, Tracking Shanghai Gains

By Vibhuti Agarwal234 words24 November 201618:51Dow Jones Institutional NewsDJDNEnglishCopyright © 2016, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Shanghai rubber futures led the Asian market higher on Thursday.

The benchmark Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for April delivery ended up 9.3 yen at Y238.8($2.12) a kilogram. The six-month contract hit a 17-month high of Y240.80 a kilogram earlier in the session.

Analysts say speculation in the Shanghai market is becoming a key driver of prices.

A weaker yen against the U.S. dollar and higher Japanese stocks, strengthened by positive U.S. economicdata, also lent support to rubber prices.

"Investors continue to buy at the yen depreciation," said Kaname Gokon, an analyst at Tokyo-based OkatoShoji brokerage.

The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery rose 505 yuan tosettle at CNY18,040 ($2,607) a metric ton.

Asian Rubber FuturesNov 24 Change from previous close

Tocom Apr RSS3 Y238.8/Kg Up Y9.3Shanghai Jan SCR5 CNY18,040/ton Up CNY505Sicom Feb RSS3 206.0 US cents/Kg Up 6.2 US cents/KgSicom Mar TSR20 181.5 US cents/Kg Up 3.3 US cents/Kg

USS Nov THB65.70-THB65.86/Kg THB63.53-THB64.69/KgWrite to Vibhuti Agarwal at vibhuti.agarwal@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 24, 2016 05:51 ET (10:51 GMT)

Document DJDN000020161124ecbo000z7

Page 1 of 2 © 2016 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

INSIGHT: Asia synthetic rubber demand to slow early 2017 on Lunar New Year holiday

Helen Yan668 words24 November 2016ICIS NewsICISNEnglish© Copyright 2016. Reed Business Information Limited. All rights reserved.By Helen Yan

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia demand for synthetic rubber looks likely to slow in the first two months of 2017 asChina and several parts of Asia wind down activities ahead of and during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Meanwhile, in November, natural rubber prices have soared as Asian currencies have weakened against theUS dollar following Donal Trump’s victory in the race to become the next president of the United States.

The Lunar New Year starts on 28 January and several countries in Asia, including China, Singapore,Malaysia, Vietnam and South Korea, celebrate the festive occasion.

China, the world’s largest automotive market and world’s second largest economy, will shut for at least aweek for the holiday.

Manufacturing activities in China will wind down significantly, as Chinese workers return to their rural homevillages for the period.

China is a vast country. Most of its factories are located in the coastal regions and employ workers from ruraltowns and villages in the interior.

“Factories in the coastal areas in China will run at lower rates for at least a month from mid-January tillmid-February. Most of their workers will return to their rural home towns during this period and many maydecide to stay home and farm and not come back after the holiday,” a Chinese synthetic rubber producersaid.

Production activities at tyre factories in China will taper off in January and February as workers leave for theirLunar New Year holiday from mid-January, with many expected not to return in February.

In light of this annual movement of migrant labour and the seasonal slowdown in manufacturing, demand forraw materials is expected to slacken in January and February. As such, synthetic rubber prices includingstyrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and polybutadiene rubber (PBR) which are used in the production of tyres forthe automotive industry, may be under downward pressure in January and February.

However, Chinese demand for synthetic rubber is expected to strengthen in December as traders, importersand downstream tyre factories are likely to re-stock ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.

Further supporting the price uptrend, is the escalating natural rubber (NR) price and rising feedstockbutadiene (BD) costs.

Major Asian synthetic rubber producers have revised their December offers up by $50-100/tonne in view ofthe soaring NR price and rising feedstock butadiene (BD) costs.

The feedstock BD is a key raw material in both SBR and PBR and with BD spot offers rising above$1,550/tonne CFR (cost and freight) northeast (NE) Asia, SBR and PBR prices look likely to rise inDecember.

Another factor bolstering SBR and PBR prices is the huge spike in the natural rubber price.

Page 2 of 2 © 2016 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

Natural rubber rivals both SBR and PBR as a substitute raw material in the production of tyres for theautomotive industry and respective price movements tend to impact each other.

SMR20 tyre grade natural rubber prices rose above $1,830/tonne FOB (free on board) Malaysia at theMalaysian Rubber Exchange on 24 November and are up by more than $300/tonne from earlier in the month.

The spectacular spike in the natural rubber price is attributed to the outflow of money from emergingeconomies in Asia, including China, following the election on 8 November of Donald Trump as the 45th USpresident.

The depreciation of Asian currencies against the US dollar, including the Chinese yuan, Malaysian ringgit andJapanese yen, has seen money from Asia flowing into US-dollar denominated trades in commodities.

Traders are betting that the US dollar will strengthen, given Trump’s pledge of infrastructure spending and thelikelihood of the US Federal Reserve increasing the interest rate in December.

“A lot of hot money from China is flowing into commodities and futures markets, and natural rubber is noexception,” a trader said.

Document ICISN00020161124ecbo002mh

Page 1 of 1 © 2016 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

RUBBER-TOCOM hits 1-1/2-year high on yen's dip, firmer Shanghai

375 words24 November 201617:23Reuters NewsLBAEnglishCopyright 2016 Thomson Reuters. All Rights Reserved.TOKYO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures surged for a third straight session on Thursdayto hit their highest levels since June 2015, as a sharp fall in the yen against the dollar and firmer Shanghaifutures prompted a flurry of buying, dealers said.

The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for April delivery <0#2JRU:> finished up 9.3 yen,or 4.1 percent, at 238.8 yen ($2.11) per kg. Earlier in the session, it touched its highest level since June 8,2015, of 241.1 yen.

Tokyo markets were closed on Wednesday for a public holiday.

"The TOCOM has been driven by plunging yen, or soaring U.S. dollar amid an expectation for an increase inthe U.S. infrastructure spending by 'Trumpnomics'," said Satoru Yoshida, commodity analyst, RakutenSecurities.

The dollar was up 0.9 percent at 113.49 yen in late Asia trade on Thursday, hitting an eight-month high. It hasgained sharply since Trump's victory earlier this month. A weaker yen makes yen-denominated assets moreaffordable when purchased in other currencies.

The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for January delivery touched a high of18,400 yuan per tonne, the strongest level since June 2014, before closing up 240 yuan at 17,775 yuan($2,570.13) per tonne.

"Some investors took profits in Shanghai with a feeling of accomplishment after seeing the benchmarkbreaking above the 18,000 yuan mark," Yoshida said.

"Rubber prices also got a lift from higher prices of industrial metals," he added.

London zinc hit an eight-year high and copper jumped for a fourth day in a row on Thursday as investorspoured funds into metals in expectation of inflation in China and the United States, and on signs of growingstrength in the U.S. manufacturing sector.

The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for December delivery last traded at 177.0U.S. cents per kg, up 3.0 cent.

($1 = 113.3600 yen) ($1 = 6.9160 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by SherryJacob-Phillips)

Released: 2016-11-24T10:23:28.000ZDocument LBA0000020161124ecbo00ebg

Page 1 of 1 © 2016 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.

RUBBER-Tokyo futures rise, head for 14 pct weekly gain

379 words25 November 201608:58Reuters NewsLBAEnglishCopyright 2016 Thomson Reuters. All Rights Reserved.TOKYO, Nov 25 (Reuters) - New benchmark TOCOM rubber futures rose on Friday, hovering near theirhighest in about 1-1/2 years and on track for a weekly gain of more than 14 percent, boosted as the yen fell tomulti-month lows against the dollar.

FUNDAMENTALS

* The Tokyo Commodity Exchange's (TOCOM) new rubber contract, for May delivery <0#2JRU:>, was up 1.0yen, or 0.4 percent, at 239.5 yen ($2.11) per kg as of 0037 GMT. It opened at 238.5 yen

* It was heading for a weekly gain of 14.3 percent, which would mark the biggest such leap in two weeks.

* TOCOM's November contract expired at 228.8 yen on Thursday.

* Crude rubber inventories at Japanese ports stood at 6,219 tonnes as of Nov. 10, down 10.7 percent fromthe last inventory date, data from the Rubber Trade Association of Japan showed on Thursday.

* For the top stories in the rubber market and other news, click or

MARKET NEWS

* The U.S. dollar rose to an eight-month high against the yen on Friday, extending its rally since DonaldTrump's victory in the U.S. Presidential election stoked speculation of higher U.S. economic growth andinflation. The dollar was quoted around 113.52 yen in early Friday trade.

* Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock average climbed 0.5 percent on Friday, helped by hopes for betterexporters' earnings amid the rising dollar against the yen.

* Oil prices were little changed on Thursday ahead of next week's meeting of the Organization of thePetroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to discuss implementation of its proposed cap on production.

* Zinc prices jumped to their highest in more than eight years on Thursday and copper headed towards its2016 peak as funds piled in on expectations of stronger demand and tighter supplies.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

* The following data is expected on Friday: (Time in GMT)

0745 France Consumer confidence Nov

0930 Britain GDP 2nd release Q3

1330 U.S. Advance goods trade balance Oct

1445 U.S. Markit services PMI flash Nov ($1 = 113.6600 yen) (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing byJoseph Radford)

Released: 2016-11-25T01:58:25.000ZDocument LBA0000020161125ecbp001e2