RUBBER-Tokyo futures rise 1 pct on firm oil, Nikkei

TOKYO, April 25 (Reuters) - Key TOCOM rubber futures rose about 1 percent on Friday, taking their cue from firmer equities in Tokyo and higher oil prices on the back of rising tensions in Ukraine.

FUNDAMENTALS

* The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for October delivery was changing hands 2.2 yen higher at 205.8 yen as of 0120 GMT.

* Ukrainian forces killed up to five pro-Moscow rebels on Thursday as they closed in on the separatists' military stronghold in the east, and Russia launched army drills near the border in response, raising fears its troops would invade.

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MARKET NEWS

* The Nasdaq rose modestly in a choppy session on Thursday, lifted by a rally in Apple shares a day after the iPad maker's strong results, though tensions in Ukraine held the broader market in check.

* The dollar came under pressure against the yen on Friday as rising tensions in Ukraine undermined optimism about U.S. economic growth following strong U.S. durable goods data.

* Brent crude futures rose by more than a dollar a barrel on Thursday as mutual accusations of aggression by Ukraine and Russia raised concerns over future oil supplies, while strong U.S. economic data suggested higher demand.

* Japan's Nikkei average was up 0.85 percent.

* Asian stocks struggled to rise on Friday, as the impact of upbeat U.S. economic data and robust U.S. tech shares faced off against fears of an escalating Ukraine crisis that bolstered the safe-haven yen.

DATA EVENTS

* The following data is expected on Friday: (Time in GMT)

- 1345 U.S. Markit Services PMI Final April

- 1355 U.S. Univ of Michigan sentiment index Final April (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)