Back in October 2011, analysts at Deutsche Bank predicted that natural rubber prices would average US$4.50 a kilogramme in 2013. At the moment it looks as if that projection way off – last week, natural rubber prices reached a new low, sinking in excess of eight per cent to $2.50 a kilogramme. Deutsche Bank research analyst Gaetan Toulemonde notes that the current price is 30 per cent below what tyre companies paid last year ($3.60…

GUWAHATI (Commodity Online): India’s natural rubber (NR) production for the year 2012-13 is provisionally estimated at 912,200 tons, with a slight increase of 0.9% when compared to the 4.8% increase in 2011-12, said Sheela Thomas, Chairman, Rubber Board while delivering her presidential address in the 171st meeting of the Rubber Board held at Guwahati on Friday. During last fiscal, monthly NR production was lower in April and May 2012 and January to March 2013 owing…

(Reuters) – President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has suspended exports of unprocessed rubber from Liberia in a bid to force companies to process the commodity in the West African country, saying this will provide a boost to domestic economic activity. An executive order issued by Johnson-Sirleaf late on Thursday said the export ban was aimed at ensuring new job opportunities and development. It said urgent action was needed to stem a decline in its rubber sector amid…

On 10 April the head of Continental’s Tire division, Nikolai Setzer, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning Continental’s consumer tyre factory in Púchov. The signing of the MoU at Continental’s headquarters in Hannover, Germany paves the way for an expansion project that will see passenger and light truck tyre capacity in Púchov rising by more than 5 million pieces a year. Continental is yet to confirm the MoU’s fine…

Continental AG has reported its sales for the first quarter of 2013 fell slightly more than its projected drop between 1% and 3%. Q1 operating profit declined below very strong year-ago levels, but stayed within expectations, reported Reuters. Despite the decline in European car markets, Continental said group business will steadily improve following a first quarter low to help achieve a targeted 5% increase in 2013 sales to over 34 billion euros ($44.53 billion).

Bridgestone Corp. has reported it may use 2.6% less rubber in 2013 than originally projected as replacement tire demand in the U.S. will be slower than forecast, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. On Feb. 18, Bridgestone said it would likely consume a record 1.93 million tons of rubber for tire production globally this year, up 9.7% from last year. Citing a Nomura Holdings Inc. analyst, Bloomberg reported a decline in raw material costs and the Japanese…

BRUSSELS—Replacement market sales were down across the board in the first quarter of 2013, according to the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association. The sharpest decreases were in the consumer and motorcycle tire markets, the ETRMA said. Consumer tire sales fell 12 percent compared with the first quarter of 2012, to 45.6 million from 53.2 million. Motorcycle tire sales dropped 13 percent, to 2.7 million from 3.1 million, the association said. Agricultural tire sales were…

Malaysia‘s Natural rubber (NR) exports in February slipped 9.7% to 61,599 tonnes from January, the Statistics Department said Friday. The department said in a statement that standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) contributed 93.7% of total exports, with 65.4% of that comprising SMR 20, according to Malaysia’s (BERNAMA) News Agency. The NR was exported mainly to China (50.7%), followed by Germany (13.5%), South Korea (3.9%), the United States (2.5%), Portugal (2.2%), Brazil and Finland with 2%, respectively….

BANGKOK, 12 April 2013 Thailand and Malaysia will collaborate in setting up rubber industry zones on both sides of the common border in order to create jobs and income for citizens of both nations. On the 2nd day of the ASEAN Rubber Day 2013 convention in Phuket, Deputy Agriculture Minister Yutthapong Charassathien announced the collaboration between Thai and Malaysian state and private agencies in developing twin rubber cities along the two countries’ common border. The…

AGARTALA: Immature rubber plants of two-four years are drying up in India’s northeastern region owing to prolonged dry weather, leaving the growers worried about their produce, an official said here on Tuesday. The symptoms begin with yellowing of leaves and eventually branches of the rubber trees becoming partially or completely dry. “Contemplating this as disease, the anxious growers have been using chemicals on their rubber plants under the influence of a section of unscrupulous traders,”…