Key TOCOM rubber futures edged higher early on Monday after weekend data showed a pickup in China's factory output and retail sales, but uncertainty about budget wrangling in the United States kept a lid on gains.
FUNDAMENTALS
* The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for May delivery <0#2JRU:> was up 0.8 yen, or 0.3 percent, at 264.4 yen per kg as of 0040 GMT.
* A pickup in China's factory output and retail sales growth to eight-month highs suggested a revival in the world's second-biggest economy is deepening and boosted the chances for stronger-than-expected export figures on Monday.
* A better-than-exected U.S. jobs report, defying predictions that superstorm Sandy would deal a big blow to the labour market, brought about only a brief rally in most commodities markets on Friday.
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MARKET NEWS
* Japan's benchmark Nikkei average opened slightly higher on Monday, after the better-than-expected U.S. jobs report, although a sharp drop in U.S. consumer confidence capped gains.
* U.S. crude futures slipped in choppy trading on Friday.
