18/02/2014 (The Star) - The following factors are likely to influence Malaysian palm oil futures and other vegetable oil markets on Tuesday.

FUNDAMENTALS
* Malaysian palm oil futures reversed earlier losses to extend gains into a fourth straight session on Monday as expectations of rising demand and of falling output and exports offset a stronger ringgit.
* US wheat futures rose on Friday, hitting their highest level in 5½ weeks on technical buying after prices passed through key benchmarks, traders said.
* Brent crude oil steadied around US$109 a barrel on Monday, supported by a weak dollar, supply disruptions and a severe winter across North America that has boosted heating demand.
           
MARKET NEWS
* The dollar hit six-week lows on Monday as recent weak US data cast doubt on the pace of monetary tightening, while prospects for a new reforming government in Italy and better euro zone growth boosted the bloc's periphery.
* A key commodities index climbed to five-month highs on Friday and notched a fifth straight weekly gain, as gold prices rallied on a weaker US dollar and wheat futures hit 5½-week highs on chart-based buying.  

RELATED
* Heavy rains in Argentina will likely cut soybean output - expert
* Drought to keep Brazil sugar, ethanol output from growing - Unica
* Malaysia's Feb 1-15 palm oil exports rose 27.2% - SGS

DATA/EVENTS   
- NIL

 Key commodity markets at 0010 GMT

  Contract        Month    Last   Change     Low    High  Volume
  RINGGIT/USD             3.292    -0.00   3.293   3.293       
  CHINA PALM OLEIN MAY4       0    +0.00       0       0       0
  CHINA SOYOIL     MAY4       0    +0.00       0       0       0
  CBOT SOYOIL      MAR4   39.15    +0.00    0.00    0.00       0
  NYMEX CRUDE      MAR4  100.85    +0.55  100.23  101.13   23265

CBOT soy oil in US cents per pound, Dalian soy oil in Chinese yuan per tonne, crude in US dollars per barrel. - Reuters