InfoSAWIT, KUALA LUMPUR — Palm oil prices fell for a second consecutive session, hitting their lowest level in two weeks amid weaker global crude oil prices and declining Malaysian exports.

According to Bloomberg, palm oil futures slipped below RM4,000 per tonne on Friday (2/1/2026). Soybean oil, palm oil’s closest rival, also fell 1.8% earlier in the week.

Crude oil markets ended 2025 with their steepest annual decline since 2020. West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.9% on Wednesday to US$57.42 per barrel, completing a roughly 20% fall for the year.

Gnanasekar Thiagarajan, Head of Trading and Hedging Strategies at Kaleesuwari Intercontinental, said weaker Malaysian shipments added pressure. Data from AmSpec showed exports fell 5% month-on-month to about 1.2 million tonnes in December.

“Bargain buying is expected as seasonal demand ahead of Lunar New Year and Ramadan in February 2026 could support prices below RM4,000,” he said.

Despite near-term weakness, analysts noted medium-term optimism from sustainability initiatives, including carbon credit opportunities through biochar production and biogas capture from palm oil mill effluent (POME). (T2)