Natural Rubber Prices Gain Support From Rainfall and Inventory Drawdowns

The natural rubber category includes sheet rubber, which is primarily used in tires, automotive components, conveyor belts, footwear, and technical rubber products that require elasticity, strength, and resistance to repeated deformation.

Key Pricing Influencers:

• Weather and tapping conditions in major producing regions
• Physical inventories and import availability
• Tire manufacturing and replacement-market demand
• Regional freight, currency, and procurement conditions

2. Synthetic Rubber

The synthetic rubber category covers nitrile and polybutadiene based rubber. BR is used mainly in tires, footwear and products requiring flexibility and abrasion resistance. NBR is used across oil-resistant seals, hoses, gaskets, rollers, footwear, cable products, and industrial applications.

Key Pricing Influencers:

• Butadiene and acrylonitrile replacement costs
• Producer maintenance and operating-rate changes
• Tire and automotive-component production
• Industrial-rubber demand and available inventories

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Pricing Trends, August 2026

• Natural Rubber

Natural rubber shifted from early-August weakness to a firmer second half as rainfall in key producing regions disrupted tapping and limited seasonal supply growth. In China, Qingdao inventories continued to decline as buyer sentiment improved slightly. Tire operating rates increased modestly, but high raw-material costs kept downstream manufacturers cautious. Overall, weather disruptions and lower inventories supported the market, while disciplined procurement limited further gains.

• Synthetic Rubber