It is my honor to present the ANRPC Monthly Natural Rubber Market Report for April 2026. This edition documents a period of sustained price strength and resilient market fundamentals across the global natural rubber sector. Despite a year-on-year contraction in April production of 2.59%—attributable to the seasonal wintering period, persistently dry conditions across key producing regions of Southeast Asia and South Asia, and heightened concerns over El Niño risks in the second half of 2026—natural rubber prices advanced decisively across all major grades and trading centers. The concurrent rise in Brent crude oil prices, which averaged USD 117.29 per barrel in April—a month-on-month increase of 13.72%—driven in part by geopolitical disruptions in the Middle East and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz, lent further upward impetus to rubber valuations, most notably for centrifuged latex.
Physical market prices recorded broad-based gains across all major rubber grades in April 2026. SMR-20 in Kuala Lumpur averaged USD 2.13/kg (+4.61%), STR-20 in Bangkok USD 2.27/kg (+3.53%), RSS-3 in Bangkok USD 2.77/kg (+8.10%), RSS-4 in Kottayam USD 2.50/kg (+6.53%), and centrifuged latex in Kuala Lumpur USD 1.93/kg (+12.47%). The futures complex was equally firm: the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) September 2026 contract averaged 17,009 CNY/ton, while the SGX July 2026 contract averaged USD 2.05/kg—both reflecting positive market sentiment underpinned by tightening near-term supply and robust downstream demand from the tyre and industrial goods sectors. Taken together, these price movements underscore the commodity’s strategic importance and the sector’s underlying resilience in a challenging global environment. Based on data compiled from ANRPC Member Countries, global natural rubber production is projected to reach 15.322 million tons in 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.2%, with upward revisions recorded for China and Malaysia. On the demand side, global consumption is forecast to grow by 1.3% to 15.550 million tons, supported by the continued expansion of electric vehicle production in China, India, and Southeast Asia, sustained recovery in the rubber goods and medical glove sectors, and an upward revision in consumption from the rest of the world, including the United States. In April 2026, total global production is estimated at 772,000 tons (−2.59% year-on-year), while global consumption is projected at 1,235,000 tons (+2.3% year-on-year). Trade flows in April reflected divergent patterns among major market participants: China’s natural rubber imports declined by 13.35% to 538,200 tons amid elevated domestic inventory levels, while India recorded a sharp 38.79% increase in imports, reflecting strong domestic manufacturing demand.
On the export side, Thailand posted a 4.28% month-on-month contraction to 378,000 tons, and Cambodia registered a remarkable 106.49% increase in export volumes. The Malaysian ringgit appreciated steadily against the US dollar through April, closing near 3.96 MYR/USD, supported by a resilient domestic economy that grew 5.4% in the first quarter of 2026. The Thai baht exhibited pronounced intra-month volatility before stabilizing at approximately 3.07 THB/USD by month-end. The broader macroeconomic environment remained complex, shaped by escalating US–China trade tensions, the continuation of the Middle East conflict and its ramifications for global energy markets, and the US Federal Reserve’s decision to hold interest rates steady at 3.50–3.75% in response to persistent energy-driven inflation. Looking ahead, the near-term outlook for the natural rubber market remains cautiously constructive, though subject to heightened price volatility as global events continue to unfold.
ANRPC remains committed to providing timely, authoritative, and objective analysis of the global natural rubber market in fulfilment of its mandate as an inter-governmental organization dedicated to the sustainable development of the natural rubber sector. I encourage member governments, industry partners, and all stakeholders to engage closely with the analysis presented in this report and to draw upon these findings in the formulation of evidence-based policies and strategic decisions.
Source : anrpc.org