According to the latest statistics from the ANRPC, in the period from January 2018 to September 2018, world natural rubber consumption grew 6.6% on a year-to-year basis to 10.653 million metric tons; world production saw a slower growth at 1.5% to 9.779 million metric tons, on a year-to-year basis. This resulted to a supply deficit of 874,000 metric tons during the same reference period based on these statistics.
Rubber prices remain low despite a favorable market. The high inventory in the Shanghai Rubber Exchange and the warehouses in the Qingdao Free Trade zone and other external factors have kept sentiments down in the natural rubber market.
Although in mid-September commodity prices and markets edged higher due to the hope of resumed talks between the USA and China on trade war matters, there is still a concern that a slowdown in the Chinese economy due to the trade war could deepen further between China and the USA for their tariff policies.
It is hoped that the analysis and data obtained and published by the ANRPC will help to deepen the understanding of the prevailing market situation. ANRPC has expressed its gratitude to correspondents that contributed statistics in member countries and the esteemed users of the publication.
