Kuala lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur rubber market ended lower on Thursday, aligning with the downward trend in regional rubber futures prices and the decline in crude oil prices, amid concerns about the economic impact from the ongoing conflict in West Asia, a dealer said.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, market sentiment was further affected by ongoing doubts regarding a potential peace deal between the United States and Iran. Although the market experienced some losses, they were mitigated by a weaker ringgit against the US dollar, influenced by resilient US economic data and optimism over compliance with a European Union-US trade deal.

The dealer mentioned that oil prices eased as a ceasefire agreement in West Asia raised hopes for a comprehensive deal to end the US-Iran conflict. Additionally, the US House approved a resolution aimed at limiting US President Donald Trump's war powers, providing further context to the market's movements.

Meanwhile, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicts that global growth could decelerate significantly to 2.1 percent in 2026 and 1.8 percent in 2027 if energy disruptions continue into 2027. This outlook adds another layer of uncertainty to market conditions.

At 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) 20 fell by 9.5 sen to 932 sen per kilogramme, while the price of latex-in-bulk remained stable at 761 sen per kilogramme.