Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian rubber market ended mixed today as traders remained cautious amid growing hopes of the United States (US)-China trade talks this week, a dealer said. She noted that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) rose in line with regional rubber futures markets.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, further gains in the rubber market were limited due to losses in oil prices and weaker US economic data, as uncertainties surrounding US tariffs persisted. The dealer mentioned that most Asian stocks saw an increase on Wednesday, driven by optimism that US and Chinese leaders might engage in discussions to reignite stalled trade negotiations between the two nations.

Oil prices experienced a decline on Wednesday, influenced by concerns over increasing output from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+), as well as ongoing tariff tensions that threaten the global economic outlook. However, concerns about Canadian supply helped mitigate the oil price drop.

Alarm grew over China's control of critical minerals on Tuesday, as global automakers expressed concern over Chinese restrictions on exports of rare earth alloys, mixtures, and magnets, which could lead to production delays and outages. The dealer also noted the new Washington administration's deadline for countries to submit their best trade offers by Wednesday, which coincides with the implementation of 50 percent tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

At 3 pm, the Malaysian Rubber Board reported that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) increased by 12.5 sen to 699.0 sen per kilogram (kg), while latex in bulk decreased by 3.0 sen to 609.5 sen per kg.