Palm rises 1% on strong demand, olein; high stocks caps gains

Malaysian palm oil futures rose 1% on Monday, recovering from the previous day's declines, buoyed by higher Dalian palm olein prices and robust export data. The December December benchmark palm oil contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange increased by 46 ringgit, or 1%, to 4,638 ringgit ($1,136.49) per metric ton by the close.

The contract had been down 1.48% the day prior. Crude palm oil prices rose, supported by a stronger Dalian palm olein, though upside potential is limited by expectations of elevated palm oil end-stocks. Malaysia's palm oil inventories in September surged to 3.51 million metric tons, as production reached a record high, surpassing prior expectations and surpassing the August 2015 high.

Production grew for the fourth consecutive month in September, surging 16.48% to 2.12 million tons, and beating the previous peak set in August 2015. Meanwhile, exports dropped for the second straight month, falling 12.13% to 1.12 million tons. Cargo surveyors forecast that exports of Malaysian palm oil products for October 1-10 grew between 33.5% and 37.7% compared to the previous month.

Dalian's most traded soyoil contract declined 0.3%, while its palm oil contract climbed 0.23%. Soyoil prices on the Chicago Board of Trade surged 0.41%. Palm oil prices reflect the price movements of other edible oils, as it competes for a share of the global vegetable oils market. Oil prices fluctuated as the market weighed potential additional supplies following US President Donald Trump's endorsement of fresh Russian diesel exports amid supply-constricting indications following major attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Stronger crude oil futures make palm oil a more appealing option for biodiesel feedstock. The Malaysian ringgit, the currency of trade for the commodity, strengthened 0.05% against the dollar, making the product slightly more costly for buyers holding foreign currencies.