Kuala Lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur rubber market ended higher today, supported by persistent concerns over the natural rubber (NR) supply shortage as the wintering season approaches, amid mixed signals from regional rubber futures markets, a dealer said.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, further gains were capped by losses in oil prices due to an increase in United States crude stockpiles, in addition to tariff worries weighing on sentiment. The dealer mentioned that rubber production areas in Southeast Asia are set to halt harvesting as they transition into the wintering season from February to May 2025.

The dealer also noted that Japanese rubber futures fell today, owing to the sluggish vehicle demand in China, which has impacted the overall rubber market dynamics. At 4.55 pm, Brent crude oil prices declined by 0.81 per cent to US$76.28 per barrel, further influencing the market sentiment.

The Malaysian Rubber Board reported that at 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) surged by 14.5 sen to 897.5 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex in bulk inched up by one sen to 688.5 sen per kg, reflecting the ongoing concerns over supply constraints affecting the market.