Malaysian palm oil futures slipped for a second session to below MYR 4,200 per tonne on Friday, rattled by weakness in rival edible oils on the Dalian and Chicago exchanges. The benchmark contract is set for its first weekly decline in five, down nearly 1%, as traders turned cautious ahead of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board’s data due February 10. Sentiment was further restrained by upcoming CPI and PPI readings in China, the top buyer, while crude oil also headed for its first weekly decline in several weeks ahead of key talks. Losses were capped by a weaker ringgit and stronger shipment data, with cargo surveyors reporting January exports up 14.9–17.9% month-on-month, driven by restocking ahead of the Spring Festival and Ramadan. Demand from top consumer India also improved in January, with imports surging 51% to a four-month high after the prior fall. Reuters projected Malaysia’s inventories likely halted a 10-month rise in January, as strong exports met a seasonal output slowdown.
