Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended up 1.8 percent on Tuesday after touching a near two-week high earlier in the day, helped by firm Shanghai futures and Tokyo equities. Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) futures, which set the tone for tyre rubber prices in Southeast Asia. TOCOM's new benchmark rubber contract for July delivery finished 3.5 yen higher from the opening price of 201 yen per kg. It touched an intraday high of 202.2 yen, the highest since January 14.

The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for May delivery rose 295 yuan to finish at 13,320 yuan per tonne after rising more than 3 percent earlier. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for February delivery last traded at 139.40 US cents per kg, down 0.2 cent.

Copyright Reuters, 2015