WASHINGTON—Volatility in raw materials prices for tires and rubber goods has moderated since last year, but is far from gone, according to manufacturers and industry analysts.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia—While natural rubber prices experienced a weak quarter in the first three months of 2018, global natural rubber demand grew 7.6 percent year-on-year to about 3.4 million metric tons for the period.

CONTRARY to what some people believe, natural rubber is not a sunset industry. World demand for natural rubber remains robust, as was strongly reaffirmed at a recent Global Rubber Conference (GRC) in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s economy grew 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2018 from a year earlier, official data showed on Tuesday, slightly above expectations and unchanged from the previous quarter.

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar steadied on Tuesday as the market’s focus shifted back to U.S. trade policy as investors wagered U.S.-led attacks on Syria would not escalate into a wider conflict in the Middle East.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Monday as markets opened the week cautiously following western air strikes in Syria over the weekend, and as American drilling for new production continued to rise.