Palm Oil Bounces Back, Yet Weekly Losses Persist

2026-05-15 03:26 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

Malaysian palm oil futures strengthened, hovering above MYR 4,400 per tonne and rebounding from the downside since early May.

Sentiment was supported by a weaker ringgit, alongside firmer soyoil prices in Chicago and a sharp rise in crude oil prices amid concerns over ship attacks and seizures in the Strait of Hormuz.

Markets also monitored a second day of talks between the U.S.

and Chinese presidents in Beijing, with investors hoping for signs of easing trade tensions.

However, palm oil contracts were still on track for a third straight weekly decline, down roughly 1.7% so far, pressured by softer demand from key buyer India.

The country’s palm oil imports plunged 26% in April from March to hit the lowest level in four months, as institutional buying softened and palm oil’s price discount against rival edible oils narrowed.

Meanwhile, export data for the first ten days of May remained mixed, with AmSpec Agri reporting shipments fell 10.8%, while Intertek estimated an 8.5% growth.



News Stream
Palm Oil Bounces Back, Yet Weekly Losses Persist
Malaysian palm oil futures strengthened, hovering above MYR 4,400 per tonne and rebounding from the downside since early May. Sentiment was supported by a weaker ringgit, alongside firmer soyoil prices in Chicago and a sharp rise in crude oil prices amid concerns over ship attacks and seizures in the Strait of Hormuz. Markets also monitored a second day of talks between the U.S. and Chinese presidents in Beijing, with investors hoping for signs of easing trade tensions. However, palm oil contracts were still on track for a third straight weekly decline, down roughly 1.7% so far, pressured by softer demand from key buyer India. The country’s palm oil imports plunged 26% in April from March to hit the lowest level in four months, as institutional buying softened and palm oil’s price discount against rival edible oils narrowed. Meanwhile, export data for the first ten days of May remained mixed, with AmSpec Agri reporting shipments fell 10.8%, while Intertek estimated an 8.5% growth.
2026-05-15
Palm Oil Remains Weak
Malaysian palm oil futures traded below MYR 4,450 per tonne, extending losses that began in early May and notching their lowest level in a month. A stronger ringgit weighed on sentiment, alongside weakness in rival edible oils traded on the Dalian and Chicago exchanges. So far this week, contracts have declined around 2.2%, dragged by softer demand in the key buyer India. According to the Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors’ Association of India, the country’s palm oil imports plunged 26% in April from the prior month to the lowest level in four months, as weak institutional demand and a recent price rally narrowed palm oil’s discount against competing oils, discouraging refiners from increasing purchases. Meanwhile, export signals for May were mixed: AmSpec Agri noted shipments down 10.8%, while Intertek reported an 8.5% rise. Traders now keep an eye on a Beijing summit between U.S. President Trump and China’s Xi Jinping, with agricultural trade expected to stay in focus.
2026-05-14
Palm Oil Falls Sharply to Near One-Month Low
Malaysian palm oil futures tumbled around 1.5% to below MYR 4,450 per tonne, extending downside since early May and hovering near their lowest level in nearly a month. Prices came under pressure from a stronger ringgit, weaker palm olein prices on the Dalian exchange, and softer soyoil markets in Chicago. Adding to the bearish sentiment, China projected soybean imports for the 2026/27 crop year at 95.5 million metric tons, down 7.6% yoy, signaling softer demand across the broader oilseed complex as soymeal consumption weakens amid a shrinking sow herd. Meanwhile, export estimates for the first ten days of May remained mixed. AmSpec Agri Malaysia noted shipments fell 10.8%, while cargo surveyor Intertek Testing Services estimated exports rose 8.5%. Still, losses were partly limited by expectations that demand from top buyer India could rebound in May after the country’s palm oil imports plunged 27% mom to a one-year low in April, raising prospects of restocking activity.
2026-05-13