Butadeine shortage offsets gains on bearish Natural Rubber for Tyre makers

摘要

The year 2012 was characterized by sharp fall in natural rubber prices that was reflected in key contracts at Tokyo Commodity Exchange plunging to 206 Yen per kg recently and rebounding back to 260 Yen this week on stimulus measures announced in US, Europe and Japan. Tyre makers have performed better in 2012 on sharp fall in rubber prices but their gains were offset to an extent by rise in butadiene prices, according to analysts. The chemical peaked at $1.55 per pound earlier this year, surging from about 25 cents per pound a decade ago.