SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil markets were steady on Monday, with prices near late-2014 highs as a decision looms on whether the United States walks away from a deal with Iran and instead re-imposes sanctions on Tehran.

Unlike many commodities that have been heating up in recent times, prices of domestic natural rubber (RSS-4 variety) have been on a slide. The latest data available from the Rubber Board shows that prices have cooled down to about ₹124 a kg as of February 2018, from ₹159 a year ago.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Friday, extending the previous session’s modest gains as looming geopolitical risks from possible new U.S. sanctions against Iran supported the market.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped on Thursday, weighed down by swelling U.S. crude inventories and record weekly U.S. production which is countering efforts by producer cartel OPEC to cut supplies and prop up prices.

TOKYO (May 2): Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended slightly lower on Wednesday as investors booked profits following the previous session’s 4% jump.

Nana Opanbour Bonsu II, President, Concerned Farmers Association of Ghana has expressed dissatisfaction over the clearing of cocoa trees for the cultivation of rubber in cocoa communities in the Eastern Region.

He said the situation was worrying because some chiefs were compelling cocoa farmers to release their farms for the cultivation of rubber trees.