Malaysian palm oil futures slipped below MYR 4,215 per tonne on Thursday, reversing modest gains from the prior session, as losses in the Dalian palm oil contract and weaker rival oils in Chicago weighed on sentiment. Trading remained cautious ahead of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board’s monthly data, due on February 10. Still, the downside was partly capped by a softer ringgit. On the export front, cargo surveyors reported that January palm oil shipments rose by 14.9%–17.9% mom. Demand from key buyer India strengthened notably, with imports jumping 51% to a four-month high in January, driven by palm oil’s steep discount to soyoil that encouraged refiners to increase purchases. Meanwhile, Indonesia, the world’s largest producer, recorded a 102.23% surge in exports from December, bringing total 2025 shipments up 9.1% yoy. In addition, Reuters forecast Malaysia’s palm oil inventories likely ended a 10-month rise in January, as robust exports coincided with a seasonal slowdown in production.
