PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA — Crude palm oil (CPO) prices on the Malaysian exchange continued to slide on Thursday (15 January 2026), marking a third consecutive session of losses as global market pressures and policy signals from major producers dampened sentiment.
The market remained under strain from weakening rival vegetable oils, alongside a pullback in global crude oil prices that weighed broadly on commodity markets. The softer energy complex reduced the appeal of biofuel-linked commodities, including palm oil, in the eyes of investors.
Policy developments in Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, added another layer of pressure. The government’s decision to maintain the B40 biodiesel mandate while shelving plans to implement B50 this year was seen as curbing expectations for a sharper increase in domestic palm oil consumption, according to a Reuters report.
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On the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange, the benchmark March 2026 palm oil contract fell RM23 per ton, or 0.57 percent, to RM4,017 per ton at the midday break. The move extended the current corrective phase, with prices still showing no clear signs of stabilisation as traders reassessed both external market dynamics and policy-driven demand prospects.
Attention in the coming sessions is turning to export performance. Surveyor data covering palm oil shipments for the 1–15 January period is expected to be released soon and is widely viewed as a potential trigger for the next major price move.
External markets continued to set a bearish tone. In China, the most-active Dalian soy oil contract slipped 0.55 percent, while Dalian palm oil futures dropped a steeper 2.19 percent. In the United States, Chicago soy oil prices also weakened, down 1.06 percent, reinforcing the broadly negative sentiment across the global vegetable oil complex.
With macroeconomic uncertainty, softer energy markets, and cautious demand expectations converging, the palm oil market remains under pressure. Industry players are now looking to upcoming export figures and signals from global demand centres to assess whether prices can find a near-term floor. (P3)
