By Mei Mei Chu
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Malaysian palm oil futures extended their drop on Monday to a second session, hitting an 11-day low, tracking losses in rival oils in anticipation of higher global edible oil supplies.
The benchmark palm oil contract FCPOc3 for January delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange was down 38 ringgit, or 0.78%, at 4,842 ringgit ($1,164.50) a tonne by the midday break, its lowest since Oct. 28.
A Reuters poll on Friday pegged Malaysia’s palm oil stockpiles at end-October to rise 3.4% to 1.81 million tonnes, due to a plunge in exports and shrinking.
However, stockpiles may rise more than expected as the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) estimated that October production likely rose 1.7% from the month before, according to traders.
MPOA’s forecast came as a surprise as the market was expecting a slight decline in production due to labour shortage, said Anilkumar Bagani, research head of Mumbai-based vegetable oils broker Sunvin Group.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Board is scheduled to release official data on Wednesday.
“Meanwhile, due to the persistent higher prices and narrowed down spread over soft oils, palm oil is now experiencing a lack of destination demand at the moment,” Bagani said.
Demand is expected to ease as winter approaches in key markets India, China and Pakistan, he added.
Importers usually switch to other edible oils during winter as palm oil solidifies at lower temperature.
Rival soybean prices on the Chicago exchanges have been pressured by strong planting progress in South America and expectations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to raise its upcoming U.S harvest forecasts.
Soyoil prices on the Chicago Board of Trade BOcv1 gained 0.4%, after declining 1.3% in the previous session. Dalian’s most-active soyoil contract DBYcv1 and its palm oil contract DCPcv1 fell 3.2% each.
Palm oil is affected by price movements in related oils as they compete for a share in the global vegetable oils market.
($1 = 4.1580 ringgit)
(Reporting by Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
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