Palm falls on profit-taking, weak demand

Malaysian palm oil futures declined on Wednesday following a two-day increase, driven by profit-taking and reduced export demand. The November delivery contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange dropped 13 ringgit, or 0.26%, to 4,960 ringgit ($1,226.81) per metric ton at the day's end. Market participants attributed the sell-off to profit-taking, noting that demand for palm oil remains low.

Paramalingam Supramaniam, a director at brokerage Pelindung Bestari, explained that exports of Malaysian palm oil products in August declined between 6.5% and 14.9% compared to the previous month. He mentioned that India, which had been well supplied, would likely not find the current high prices favorable. Traders are also anticipating data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Association to gauge August production and the impact of hot and dry weather on output.

In contrast, Dalian's most-active soyoil contract increased by 0.45%, while its palm oil contract fell by 1.04%. Soyoil prices on the Chicago Board of Trade decreased by 0.34%. Palm oil prices mimic those of other edible oils, competing for a slice of the global vegetable oil market. Oil prices remained relatively unchanged after reaching their highest levels of the past month, as traders evaluated the risk of supply interruptions following recent U.S. and Iranian strikes.

Despite these strikes, crude oil supplies continue to reach the market. A stronger crude oil price makes palm oil a more attractive option for biodiesel feedstock. The Malaysian ringgit, the currency used for trading palm oil, weakened by 0.17% against the dollar, making the commodity slightly more affordable for foreign currency holders.