RTAE: Natural rubber markets ‘unstirred by political noise’

Sandwich, UK – The Rubber Trade Association of Europe (RTAE) has reported a flat trend in pricing for natural rubber grade TSR 20 over recent months – contrary to the impression presented by its graph (attached).

While the graph “looks Andean, the actual range over the past three months has not exceeded 19 €cents/kg CIF,” said RTAE – noting that the market saw a 9 €cents/kg drop in freight rates at the end of January.

During February, the TSR 20 price “scarcely spanned 10 €cents/kg and for most of the month remained dormant in a 5 €cents/kg range,” the association added in its latest monthly digest.

“While the rubber market has appeared stagnant with apparently little to provoke fluctuation, it has been through no lack of political noise from the new administration of the USA,” RTAE further commented.