KL Rubber Market Mixed As Traders React To US Tariff Proposal On China

By Nur Athirah Mohd Shaharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) – The local rubber market displayed mixed trends as sentiment turned bearish after US President Donald Trump hinted at his intention to impose 10 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports from Feb 1, a dealer said.

The headlines also affected the oil market, keeping some pressure on prices, with Brent crude at a 0.14 per cent decline to US$79.30 per barrel at 5 pm.

“Nonetheless, losses were capped by concerns over tight natural rubber supply due to weather forecasts,” she told Bernama.

Meanwhile, she noted that Japanese rubber futures edged higher today as worsening weather in top producer Thailand sparked supply concerns, though the prospect of fresh tariffs from Trump capped gains.

Citing Thailand’s meteorological agency, she said the agency had warned of heavy to very heavy rains that may cause flash flooding from Jan 21-25, 2025.

The Malaysian Rubber Board reported that at 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) decreased by 4.5 sen to 886.50 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex in bulk inched up by 5 sen to 679 sen per kg.

-- BERNAMA