Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian rubber market is expected to remain muted next week, with prices and demand holding mostly steady, though with a slight inclination towards a downward trend, said industry expert Denis Low. He noted concerns about a slowdown in global economic growth and worries that China’s weakening energy consumption may also affect commodities, including rubber.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Low highlighted that traders should be cautious, suggesting that they will be extra careful with stock-holding. He mentioned that the weakening of the high-pressure atmosphere over northeastern Thailand led to a temperature drop of two to three degrees Celsius, with strong winds unlikely to bring additional or heavy rainfall, according to Thailand’s Meteorological Department.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) stated that prices will continue to track the performance of the regional rubber futures market, the ringgit’s strength, and the uncertain weather conditions in major rubber-producing nations. On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the Malaysian Rubber Board’s reference price for Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) increased by 6.0 sen to 890 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex in bulk rose by 12.5 sen to 689.5 sen per kg.