Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian rubber market experienced a slight decline on Tuesday, influenced by downward trends in regional rubber futures markets amid global economic slowdown concerns and escalating trade tensions, as reported by a dealer.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Japanese rubber futures reached a seven-month low on Tuesday, impacted by a stronger yen and increasing deflationary pressures, which raised worries about economic recovery in China, the top consumer of rubber.

The dealer noted that further losses were limited due to a weaker ringgit against the US dollar and stable crude oil prices, as ongoing concerns about a natural rubber supply shortage supported the market. Market sentiment was also buoyed by growing expectations for Chinese stimulus measures, with traders awaiting US economic data for additional insights into the US economy.

The Malaysian Rubber Board indicated that the Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) 20 decreased by 1.0 sen to 883.00 sen per kilogramme, while latex in bulk dropped by 1.5 sen to 702.00 sen per kg as of 3 pm.