Palm Oil Extends Gains, Weekly Loss Still Looms

2026-03-27 03:58 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

Malaysian palm oil futures rose for a second straight session on Friday, hovering near MYR 4,600 per tonne, supported by firmer edible oils on the Dalian exchange and a weaker ringgit.

Strong export demand added momentum, with cargo surveyors reporting that March 1–25 shipments surged between 38% to 51% from February, reflecting robust post-Eid buying.

Elevated crude oil prices amid Middle East tensions further lifted sentiment, boosting prospects for biofuel demand.

However, futures are set to end the week slightly lower, down 0.2%, as earlier gains faded.

The pullback was driven by expectations of weaker Indian demand, with March imports projected at 680,000 tonnes versus 847,689 tonnes in February.

In Indonesia, authorities are accelerating the B50 biodiesel rollout while weighing higher export taxes for April.

Meanwhile, caution lingers ahead of March PMI data in China, a key buyer, due next week, after factory activity slowed in February during the extended Lunar New Year holiday.



News Stream
Palm Oil Extends Gains, Weekly Loss Still Looms
Malaysian palm oil futures rose for a second straight session on Friday, hovering near MYR 4,600 per tonne, supported by firmer edible oils on the Dalian exchange and a weaker ringgit. Strong export demand added momentum, with cargo surveyors reporting that March 1–25 shipments surged between 38% to 51% from February, reflecting robust post-Eid buying. Elevated crude oil prices amid Middle East tensions further lifted sentiment, boosting prospects for biofuel demand. However, futures are set to end the week slightly lower, down 0.2%, as earlier gains faded. The pullback was driven by expectations of weaker Indian demand, with March imports projected at 680,000 tonnes versus 847,689 tonnes in February. In Indonesia, authorities are accelerating the B50 biodiesel rollout while weighing higher export taxes for April. Meanwhile, caution lingers ahead of March PMI data in China, a key buyer, due next week, after factory activity slowed in February during the extended Lunar New Year holiday.
2026-03-27
Palm Oil Climbs After Two-Day Drop on Strong Demand Signals
Malaysian palm oil futures rose over 1% to above MYR 4,500 per tonne on Thursday, rebounding from losses in the previous two sessions, supported by a weaker ringgit and firmer edible oil prices on the Dalian and Chicago markets. Gains in crude oil also lifted sentiment, amid expectations of de-escalation in the Middle East conflict. Strong export data further underpinned prices, as cargo surveyors estimated Malaysian palm oil shipments for March 1–25 surged between 38.4% and 50.6% from the same period in February, pointing to robust post-Eid demand and prompting fresh buying interest. However, upside momentum was capped by projections that imports from top buyer India may decline to around 680,000 tonnes in March, down from 847,689 tonnes in February. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the world’s largest producer, export taxes could be lifted in April, as authorities move to accelerate the rollout of the B50 biodiesel mandate.
2026-03-26
Palm Oil Extends Weakness
Malaysian palm oil futures hovered below MYR 4,500 per tonne on Wednesday, retreating for a second straight session as a stronger ringgit and weaker edible oil prices in Dalian and Chicago weighed on sentiment. Crude oil also fell sharply on signs of a possible Middle East ceasefire, reducing biodiesel-linked demand support. Traders remained cautious ahead of export estimates for the first 25 days of March, due later today, with demand likely slowing after the Eid festive period. In top buyer India, refiners reportedly scaled back purchases of palm, soyoil, and sunflower oil, viewing the recent conflict-driven rally as temporary and planning to restock once tensions ease. India’s palm oil imports are projected at around 680,000 tons in March, down from 847,689 tons in February. Still, losses were capped by expectations that Indonesia, the world's largest supplier, may raise export taxes in April and accelerate its B50 biodiesel mandate rollout.
2026-03-25