Kuala lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur rubber market closed higher on Thursday, tracking gains in regional rubber futures markets and a surge in crude oil prices.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, a dealer noted that market sentiment was also lifted by positive Chinese economic data, which reported a 4.7 percent rise in the country's fiscal revenue in the first half of 2026. This increase accelerates from the previous period and signals improving economic activity. However, the dealer mentioned that the upside momentum was limited by a slightly stronger ringgit against the US dollar and ongoing geopolitical issues in West Asia.

The dealer further explained that a weaker US dollar against major currencies supported commodity markets by enhancing purchasing power among buyers using other currencies and encouraging demand for dollar-denominated commodities.

At 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) increased by 7.5 sen to 906.5 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex in bulk added one sen to 723.0 sen per kg.