Malaysian palm oil futures traded around MYR 4,020 per tonne on Friday, rebounding from a sharp decline in the previous session, supported by stronger soyoil prices on the Dalian and Chicago exchanges. Demand indicators also improved, with top buyer India reporting a 51% month-on-month jump in palm oil imports in January to a four-month high.
The recovery in prices has reinforced expectations of a potential demand rebound from India in 2026, driven by improved price competitiveness, with purchases possibly reaching 800,000 tonnes.
Despite Friday’s uptick, the benchmark contract remains on track for a weekly loss of about 1.7%, extending its monthly decline to roughly 4.9%. The broader weakness is attributed to subdued exports, even amid seasonal demand linked to Ramadan and the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festival.
Cargo surveyors reported that Malaysian palm oil shipments for February 1–25 were down between 12.1% and 16.1% compared with the same period in January. Rising inventories and higher output further limited price gains, while the Malaysian Palm Oil Council expects prices to trade in a range of MYR 4,000–4,300 in March.
