Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian rubber market closed lower today due to mixed signals from regional rubber futures markets, said a dealer. Market sentiment was dampened by weaker Chinese economic data and easing expectations for a United States interest rate cut in December amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, further losses were capped by steady benchmark crude oil prices amid concerns for raw material shortages due to rainy weather in major rubber-producing countries. The dealer noted that Japanese rubber futures remained steady on Friday, poised for weekly gains, supported by a weak yen.

The dealer also highlighted that the Thai meteorological agency warned of heavy rains and accumulations that may cause flash floods and overflows in the south from Nov 17-19, 2025. At 3 pm, the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) reported that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) was down by 6.0 sen to 724.5 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex-in-bulk inched down by half a sen to 568 sen per kg.