Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended 2.2 percent higher on Thursday, helped by a weaker yen and firm Shanghai futures. An executive at Thailand's Sri Trang Agro Industry Pcl, the world's biggest natural rubber producing company, said on Thursday that rubber prices are expected to be volatile while China's economy remains uncertain.

The Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for October delivery finished 4.7 yen higher at 213.8 yen ($1.87) per kg. The most-active rubber contract on the Shanghai futures exchange for September delivery rose 190 yuan to finish at 13,725 yuan ($1,989) per tonne, recovering from an eight-month low hit in the previous day. The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for June delivery was last traded at 149.20 US cents per kg, up 1.2 cent.

Copyright Reuters, 2017