Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian rubber market closed lower on Wednesday, aligning with regional rubber futures markets, as a stronger ringgit weighed against the US dollar, a dealer said. Market sentiment was impacted by ongoing concerns about European Union (EU)-China relations and broader global economic issues.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the market witnessed some optimism stemming from newly announced trade deals by the United States, which tempered further losses. These deals have raised hopes for additional US agreements ahead of an upcoming tariff deadline.

At 3 pm, the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) reported that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) decreased by 12.5 sen to 730.50 sen per kilogramme (kg). Meanwhile, the price of latex in bulk dropped by half a sen to 572.50 sen per kg.