Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian rubber market ended lower today, amid mixed cues from regional rubber futures markets, a dealer said. She noted that the market was also affected by the stronger ringgit against the US dollar due to weaker US economic data.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the US current account deficit widened to a record high of US$138.2 billion in the first quarter. This was attributed to businesses front-loading imports to avoid President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported goods. Additionally, US consumer confidence experienced an unexpected decline in June as households expressed growing concerns about job availability, indicating potential softening of labor market conditions amid economic uncertainty.

Further, the dealer explained that the losses in the rubber market were somewhat limited by a recovery in crude oil prices. Oil prices increased in Asian trade after experiencing a decline over the previous two days, due to a reduction in US crude stockpiles and speculation on the sustainability of a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

At 3 pm, the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) reported that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) fell by 1.5 sen to 692.50 sen per kilogramme, while latex in bulk decreased by 0.5 sen to 586.50 sen per kilogramme.