RUBBER-Japan futures post biggest monthly drop since 2017 on tariff jitters

SINGAPORE, April 30 (Reuters) -

• Japanese rubber futures rose on Wednesday, but posted their biggest monthly loss in eight years as U.S. tariff policies sparked concerns about global demand, while expectations of increased supply also pressured prices.

• The Osaka Exchange (OSE) October rubber contract JRUc6, 0#2JRU: closed up 0.69% at 293.9 yen ($2.06) per kg.

• The contract slid 15.79% this month, the biggest monthly slide since February 2017.

• The September rubber contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) SNRv1 fell 0.99% to 14,555 yuan ($2,003.08) per metric ton.

• The most active June butadiene rubber contract on the SHFE SHBRv1 weakened 1.6% to 11,080 yuan ($1,524.85) per metric ton.

• U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports into the U.S. have made it probable the global economy will slip into recession this year, according to a Reuters poll.

• While Trump has suspended the heaviest tariffs imposed on almost all trading partners for a few months, a 10% blanket duty remains, as well as a 145% tariff on China, the United States' largest trading partner.

• China's factory activity contracted at the fastest pace in 16 months in April, a factory survey showed on Wednesday, as Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" package of tariffs snapped two months of recovery.

• In terms of supply, major production areas are entering the harvesting season, and supply is expected to be strong, said Chinese financial information site Tonghuashun Information.

• 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 May delivery STFc1 last traded at 169.2 U.S. cents per kg, up 0.2%.

• China's financial markets will be closed from May 1-5 for a public holiday. Trading will resume Tuesday, May 6.

($1 = 142.6200 yen)

($1 = 7.2663 Chinese yuan)