Malaysian palm oil futures climbed around 1.5% to above MYR 4,250 per tonne on Friday, extending gains from the prior session and nearing a five-week high, supported by a weaker ringgit and strength in edible oils on the Dalian exchange. Contracts are on track for a weekly gain of about 5.5%, the strongest since mid-August, as crude oil prices surged amid the Middle East conflict, disrupting energy flows. Demand prospects also improved after palm oil imports in top consumer India climbed 10.1% mom in February to a six-month peak, aided by wider discounts to rival oils. Meanwhile, Reuters projected Malaysia’s stocks fell for a second month to a four-month low, with seasonal output declines outweighing weaker exports. Still, weaker exports capped momentum, with cargo surveyors noting February shipments down 21.5%–22.5% from January despite Eid al-Fitr buying. Caution also grew ahead of key data next week in China, the main buyer, including CPI and PPI figures, as well as trade readings
