July 01, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 4, 1427

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30: Malaysian crude palm oil futures ended higher on Friday, fuelled by market talk that Chinese buyers were stepping up purchases and higher prices of soyaoil.

Dealers said a forecast decline in June exports did not affect the market as it had already been discounted.

There was nothing new in export figures, the market had taken it into account, one dealer said.

The market has risen on news that Chinese are buying -- not in a big way, but it is positive news. Overall volumes at the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange rose to 11,439 lots of 25 tons each from 9,770 lots traded on Thursday.

The benchmark third-month September contract ended up 14 ringgit at 1,491 ringgit ($406) a ton. August closed up 11 ringgit at 1,463 ringgit.

Soyabean futures at the Chicago Board Of Trade closed higher on Thursday, with the market buoyed by a big number for soy in the government's export sales report, traders said.

In the physical palm oil market, sellers were offering crude palm oil for July shipments at 1,430 ringgit a ton, but buyers were keen to seal deals at around 1,420 ringgit.

Traders said some deals took place at around 1,410-1,420 ringgit.—Reuters