Kuala lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur rubber market continued to end mixed on Thursday, supported by gains in regional rubber futures, firmer crude oil prices, and positive economic indicators, said a dealer. The market's fluctuation reflects a complex interplay of regional and global factors influencing rubber prices.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the positive economic indicators included a continued expansion in the US services sector. This expansion has contributed to bolstering rubber prices, as increased economic activity in the US often drives demand for commodities, including rubber. However, these gains were somewhat limited by weaker demand prospects from China's automotive and tyre industries. The decline in China's passenger vehicle and new energy vehicle sales in July has led to softer natural rubber consumption, impacting the market dynamics.

The dealer highlighted that China's tyre and automotive sectors remained weak, with all-steel tyre utilisation falling to 63.8 per cent, a decrease of 1.62 percentage points. Additionally, New Energy Vehicle (NEV) retail sales declined by two per cent, and total passenger vehicle sales dropped 18 per cent year-on-year. These factors have contributed to the mixed results seen in the Kuala Lumpur rubber market.

At 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) rose by 7.5 sen to 904.5 sen per kilogramme, while latex in bulk declined by half a sen to 690.5 sen per kilogramme. These price changes reflect the ongoing volatility and mixed trends in the market, influenced by both regional developments and broader economic indicators.