RUBBER-Japan futures ease on firmer yen, snap 4-day rally

(Recasts with closing prices)

TOKYO, Dec 11 (Reuters) -

* Japanese rubber futures eased on Thursday, snapping a four-day rally as a stronger yen against the U.S. dollar prompted some selling, while traders booked profits after the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates as expected.

* The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for May delivery finished 0.8 yen, or 0.2%, lower at 329.6 yen ($2.1) per kg, reversing course after earlier gains.

* The rubber contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) for May delivery fell 5 yuan to settle at 15,185 yuan ($2,151) per metric ton.

* The yen was at 155.98 against the U.S. dollar, compared with 156.69 yen in late Wednesday Asia trade.

* A stronger currency makes yen-denominated assets less affordable to overseas buyers.

* Also weighing on the rubber market, Japan's Nikkei share average fell 0.9% on Thursday.

* A sharply divided Fed cut interest rates on Wednesday but signalled borrowing costs are unlikely to drop further in the near term as it awaits clarity on the direction of a job market showing signs of softening, inflation that "remains somewhat elevated" and an economy it sees picking up steam next year.

* A Fed rate cut boosted hopes for stronger rubber demand by supporting consumption.

* The World Bank on Thursday said China's economy held firm in the third quarter of 2025, bringing year-to-date GDP growth to 5.2% year on year.

* Oil prices slid on Thursday as investors shifted focus back to Russia-Ukraine peace talks and monitored potential fallout from a U.S. seizure of a sanctioned tanker off the coast of Venezuela.

* The front-month rubber contract on Singapore Exchange's SICOM platform for January delivery last traded at 172.3 U.S. cents per kg, down 0.1%. ($1 = 155.9700 yen) ($1 = 7.0580 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Harikrishnan Nair)