Malaysian palm oil price jumps more than 2% on higher demand, stronger soyoil

• May 17, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil futures rose to a more than two-week high on Thursday evening on better demand for the edible oil, moving up for the fourth straight day as they tracked gains in soyoil on the U.S. Chicago Board of Trade.

The benchmark palm oil contract for August delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange was last up 2.5% at 2,096 ringgit ($503.48) a tonne.

The market earlier rose to 2,099 ringgit, its strongest level since April 30. Palm is up 5.7% so far for the week, in line to chart its first week of gains in four.

“The market is supported by the continuation of good exports,” said a Kuala Lumpur-based trader, referring to the export data reported by cargo surveyors on Wednesday.

Malaysian palm oil shipments rose between 4% and 15% during May 1-15 from the corresponding period last month, according to data from three cargo surveyors, Amspec Agri Malaysia, Intertek
Testing Services and Societe Generale de Surveillance.

Another trader added that palm prices were supported by continuous gains in competing vegetable oils.

The Chicago July soybean oil contract had gained 0.9% on Wednesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump eased concerns over the U.S.-China tariff war, and was last up 0.6% on Thursday.

Palm oil prices are affected by movements in soyoil, with which it competes for global market share.

Palm oil may rise to 2,091 ringgit per tonne, as it has cleared resistance at 2,034 ringgit, said Reuters market analyst for commodities and energy technicals Wang Tao.

Meanwhile, the May soyoil contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange was up 0.6%, and the Dalian May palm oil contract jumped 1.3%. – Reuters

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2019/05/17/palm-jumps-more-than-2-on-higher-demand-stronger-soyoil/#UujYZlGlJ1meDztj.99