Benchmark TOCOM rubber futures edged up on Wednesday to extend gains into a third day, buoyed by a stronger Japanese stock market and a brightening outlook for the economy in China, the world's top buyer of the commodity.
* The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for March delivery was up 0.5 yen, or 0.2 percent, at 206.3 yen ($1.83) per kg at 0045 GMT. Earlier in the session, it marked a 1-week high of 207.9 yen.
* Crude rubber inventories at Japanese ports stood at 5,781 tonnes as of Sept. 20, down 7 percent from the last inventory date, data from the Rubber Trade Association of Japan showed on Wednesday.
* China's manufacturing activity grew at the fastest pace since 2012 in September as factories cranked up output to take advantage of strong demand and high prices, easing worries of a slowdown before a key political meeting this month.
* Chinese markets are shut for a week-long holiday that started on Sunday.
* Major automakers on Tuesday posted higher U.S. new vehicle sales in September as consumers in hurricane-hit parts of the country replaced flood-damaged cars, extending a rally in their shares that began when Hurricane Harvey hit southeast Texas in late August.
* Ford Motor Co plans to slash $14 billion in costs over the next five years, Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett told investors on Tuesday, adding that the No.2 U.S. automaker would shift capital investment away from sedans and internal combustion engines to develop more trucks and electric and hybrid cars.
MARKET NEWS
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock average was up 0.4 percent after the three major stock indexes on Wall Street closed at record peaks and Tokyo stocks hit two-year highs the previous day.
* The U.S. dollar was quoted around 112.57 yen early Wednesday. Technical analyst Karen Jones said in a report on Tuesday that the dollar is now likely to strengthen to around 114.38-115.04 yen.
* Oil prices dipped on Tuesday as speculators took profits for a second day after big third-quarter gains and on concerns that higher prices might spur increased U.S. shale production.
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