RUBBER-Japan futures dip on tariff threats, off-season supply woes limit losses

SINGAPORE, Feb 13 (Reuters) -

• Japanese rubber futures edged lower on Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats dampened market sentiment, though off-season production sparking supply concerns cushioned the fall.
• The Osaka Exchange (OSE) July rubber contract JRUc6, 0#2JRU: ended daytime trade 1.4 yen lower, or 0.38%, at 366.7 yen ($2.38) per kg after prices hit 381.5 yen earlier in the session, their highest since February 5.
• The May rubber contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) SNRv1 rose 70 yuan, or 0.4%, to 17,605 yuan ($2,415.45) per metric ton.
• The most active February butadiene rubber contract on the SHFE SHBRv1 fell 355 yuan, or 2.42%, to 14,285 yuan ($1,959.94) per ton.
• Trump said he would impose reciprocal tariffs as soon as Wednesday evening on every country that charges duties on U.S. imports, in a move that ratchets up fears of a widening global trade war.
• Last week, Trump imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods, effective February 4, with Chinese countermeasures taking effect this week.
• Oil prices fell on Thursday on expectations that a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia would end sanctions that have disrupted supply flows. O/R
• Natural rubber often takes direction from oil prices as it competes for market share with synthetic rubber, which is made from crude oil.
• Meanwhile, foreign plantations are set to transition to their off-season production period, and there is an expectation of supply reduction, said Chinese consultancy Hexun Futures.
• Rubber crops usually undergo a season of low production from February to May, before a peak harvesting period that lasts until September.
• The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's SICOM platform for March delivery STFc1 last traded at 198.8 U.S. cents per kg, down 0.6%.

($1 = 154.0200 yen)

($1 = 7.2885 Chinese yuan)