Tokyo rubber futures edged higher in thin trade on Thursday as traders sat mainly on the sidelines while China's participants remained absent for Lunar new Year celebrations. The benchmark Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for July delivery , gained 0.3 yen, or 0.2 percent, to 179.3 yen ($1.63) per kg by 0835 GMT amid lower oil prices.

TOCOM's technically specified rubber (TSR) 20 futures contract for August delivery was unchanged at 151.2 yen per kg.

The front-month rubber contract on Singapore's SICOM exchange for March delivery was at 132.5 US cents per kg on Thursday, down 0.6 percent from the previous session. The Singapore Exchange was closed for Tuesday and Wednesday for the Lunar New Year.

Copyright Reuters, 2019