Palm Oil Prices Recorded a New Low in March 2023, The Lowest in The Last Five Months

Malaysian palm oil futures have reportedly fallen below the lowest of the prices recorded in the last five months, following the slumping price trajectory of the contemporary edible oils. Moreover, the US Federal Reserves analysis by investors have vitrioled the pricing sentiments for Malaysian crude oil even more.

The Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange recorded the dip in the prices of Malaysian palm oil by 31 ringgit, or 0.85%, to 3,633 ringgit (USD 821.76) a tonne for the benchmark palm oil contract FCPOc3 for June delivery. The prices touched the bottommost since October 14, 2022. The market started off lower, matching a significant overnight decline in soybean oil, but after the contract hit the day's low of 3,597 ringgit, buying interest started to emerge, according to a trader in Kuala Lumpur.

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The most active palm oil contract in Dalian, DCPcv1, decreased 2.5% and the most active soy oil contract, DBYcv1, declined 1.8%. Following an overnight loss of 2.8%, soy oil prices on the Chicago Board of Trade BOcv1 somewhat increased.

Since they contend for a piece of the global vegetable oil market, palm oil is impacted by changes in the prices of related oils.

After Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated his commitment to containing inflation, including the likelihood of additional interest rate increases, oil prices plummeted. Palm is a less desirable alternative as a feedstock for biodiesel due to lower crude oil costs.

According to Reuters technical expert Wang Tao, palm oil may test a support at 3,615 ringgit per tonne; a breach below that level might lead to a range of 3,494–3,569 ringgit.

Palm Oil: Price Trend and Forecast

North America

The price of palm oil decreased in North America in the fourth quarter of 2022 as a result of a drop in demand from downstream sectors.

Product prices dropped as a result of the export ban on Indonesian palm oil being lifted in the first half of Q4 2022. Nations in North America import their palm oil from the Asia Pacific, particularly from Indonesia and Malaysia.

In the second half of Q4 of 2022, the product's price was decreased because of a surplus of inventories in its local market. A sustained demand from the downstream industries and a drop in the product's price resulted from Indonesia's abrupt removal of the ban.

Asia Pacific

Due to the erratic market perceptions of palm oil, the price of palm oil fluctuated throughout the fourth quarter of 2022 in the Asia-Pacific nations. In the first half of Q4 2022 The palm oil market in China kept shrinking, which contributed to the prices staying low.

The price of palm oil in Malaysia's futures market has been declining because Indonesia, the world's largest producer of palm oil, reduced its export tax. Because of this, domestic palm oil futures have declined along with the market.

Due to large domestic market inventories, prices declined in the second month of the quarter. The price climbed in the second half of Q4 of 2022 as a result of higher end-user industry demand.

Europe

Because of the product's lower price in the months that followed the fourth-quarter period, Palm Oil prices in Europe decreased throughout the fourth quarter of 2022.

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A lack of consumer confidence in the domestic market caused prices to decline in the first half of Q4 of 2022. Large supplies prevented any supply disruptions in its local market. With Indonesia lifting its export ban, prices fell in the second part of Q4 of 2022, with no long-term consequences for the European region.

But, because there was a surplus of supply and little demand in the European countries, prices started to fall once more.

As per Procurement Resource, Futures for Malaysian palm oil decreased to their lowest point ever recorded since October 14, 2022., falling in line with drops in rival edible oils. The benchmark palm oil contract FCPOc3 for June delivery dropped by 31 ringgit, or 0.85%, to 3,633 ringgit (USD 821.76) a tonne k on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange, hitting its lowest level in five the preceding five months to march 2023.