CPO Futures End Lower As Market Takes Breather After Three-day Rally

By Nur Athirah Mohd Shaharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) – Crude palm oil (CPO) futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed lower, taking a breather on Thursday after posting three consecutive days of strong gains.

Fastmarkets Palm Oil Analytics senior analyst Dr Sathia Varqa told Bernama that all contract months fell into the red as traders booked partial profits and were pressured by a rising production outlook.

Echoing Sathia, Mumbai-based Sunvin Group commodity research head Anilkumar Bagani said the CPO futures ended lower today on profit-taking.

He also said the high production and low export performance of Malaysian palm oil during the April 1-20 period is making traders cautious.

“Malaysian Palm Oil Association estimated that Malaysian palm oil production during the April 1–20 period rose 17.52 per cent compared with the March 1-20 period this year.

“This is in contrast to indications from the Southern Peninsula Palm Oil Millers Association, which showed an increase of 31 per cent,” he said.

At the close, the May 2026 contract was down RM44 to RM4,505 per tonne, June 2026 decreased RM47 to RM4,552 per tonne and July 2026 drop RM49 to RM4,579 per tonne.

The August 2026 contract edged down RM47 to RM4,593 per tonne, September 2026 was RM41 lower to RM4,598 per tonne and October 2026 slid RM38 to RM4,590 per tonne.

Trading volume fell to 76,015 lots from 89,195 lots on Wednesday, while open interest rose by 255,331 contracts from 250,518.

The physical CPO price for May South decreased RM20 to RM4,570 per tonne.

-- BERNAMA