According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China on May 18, the volume of China's rubber tire exports reached 3.21 million tons during the first four months of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.8%. The export value stood at 53.8 billion RMB, a year-on-year decline of 0.1%.

As natural rubber serves as a core raw material for tire production, the 5.8% year-on-year growth in my country's rubber tire export volume during the first four months of 2026 has bolstered positive expectations regarding demand for natural rubber. On May 18, the closing price of the benchmark natural rubber futures contract (2609) was 17,690 RMB per ton—an increase of 15 RMB per ton from the previous trading day—while open interest rose by 1,097 lots, providing a modest boost to prices.

Butadiene rubber is another critical raw material in tire manufacturing; consequently, the expansion in the scale of tire exports has driven up demand expectations for this commodity. On May 18, the closing price of the benchmark butadiene rubber futures contract (2606) was 16,195 RMB per ton—an increase of 325 RMB per ton from the previous trading day. With both trading volume and open interest showing significant growth, bullish sentiment in the market was strong, thereby providing support to prices.

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