Kuala lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur rubber market ended mixed on Thursday, buoyed by gains in regional rubber futures markets while concerns over developments in West Asia limited further upside, a dealer said. Market sentiment was bolstered by expectations of tighter seasonal supply as the peak production season in Southeast Asia concludes, alongside higher crude oil prices and robust growth in global electric commercial vehicle sales.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the dealer noted that "seasonal supply is expected to tighten as the peak production season ends in September," indicating a potential upward pressure on prices. Additionally, the strong growth in global electric commercial vehicle sales continues to support longer-term vehicle demand, lending further support to the market.

However, the dealer also mentioned that the gains were tempered by weaker demand for new energy vehicles in China, ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia, and a slightly stronger ringgit against the US dollar. These factors combined to create a mixed outcome for the market.

At 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) increased by 9.5 sen to 938.0 sen per kilogramme (kg) while latex in bulk decreased by 3.5 sen to 680.5 sen per kg.