Date:28/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/12/28/stories/2005122800661200.htm

Back Rubber rules firm in dull trade

Our Correspondent

Kottayam , Dec. 27

SPOT rubber remained unchanged on Tuesday.

The absence of active sellers and buyers kept the prices almost stagnant throughout the session, while the transactions were on a low key.

Arrivals continued to be meagre as most growers preferred to hold the stocks expecting the bullish phase to continue.

The market indicator - sheet rubber - was quoted flat at Rs 71.50 a kg as on Monday.

The NMCE rubber futures showed a weak trend as most of the major overseas indices were in a bearish mode.

The January contract was quoted at Rs 72 (Rs 72.32), February at Rs 73.45 (Rs 73.62), March at Rs 74.46 (Rs 74.60), and April contract at Rs 75.55 (Rs 75.75) per kg for RSS 4.

The volumes totalled 914 lots, recording 480 in January, 233 in February, 149 in March and 52 lots in April till midday.

The February contract for RSS 4 moved down to Rs 73 from Rs 74.47 a kg on the MCX.

The January futures for RSS 3 closed at 198.5 yen against 198.1 yen a kg at TOCOM. The grade was steady at Rs 76.95 a kg in Bangkok.

Spot prices (a kg) were: RSS-4: Rs 71.50 (Rs 71.50); RSS-5: Rs 69 (Rs 69); ungraded: Rs 67.50 (Rs 67.50); ISNR 20: Rs 69 (Rs 69); and latex 60 per cent: Rs 50 (Rs 50).