Kuala lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur rubber market ended lower on Friday, tracking weaker regional rubber futures markets and declining crude oil prices, a dealer said. Market sentiment was affected by geopolitical tensions in West Asia and global trade uncertainty following renewed United States tariff proposals, along with expectations of a prolonged higher US interest rate outlook.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, additional pressure on the market came from seasonally weak demand in China and expectations of ample near-term supply from major producer Thailand. Despite these challenges, losses were partially cushioned by positive global economic data and a weaker ringgit against the US dollar.

At 3 pm, the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) decreased by 14.5 sen to 892.0 sen per kilogramme, while latex in bulk dropped five sen to 718.0 sen per kilogramme.