KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13: Malaysian crude palm oil futures finished higher on Monday, as higher prices of rival soyaoil and market-friendly data on stocks and exports boosted buying interest.

The benchmark January contract on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives exchange closed up 19 ringgit at 1,694 ringgit ($466) a ton after trading in a range of 1,666 to 1,696 ringgit.

It was a slow start in the morning but buying picked up just before lunch as soyaoil went up,” said one dealer. The market is also reacting to exports and stocks data which were very bullish. Other traded contracts were up between 12 and 19 ringgit.

Overall volume stood at 10,012 lots of 25 tons each. Open interest, which indicates the number of players in the market, was marginally up at 84,336 compared with 83,195 lots on Friday.

Exports of Malaysian palm oil products for Nov 1-10 rose 0.8 Per cent to 487,580 tons from 483,583 tons during Oct 1-10, cargo surveyor Intertek Testing Services said.

The MPOB said stocks at the end of October fell 11.44 per cent and output was down 13.03 per cent. It said exports during the month jumped 9.13 per cent.

In the physical crude palm oil market, November shipment for the southern region was quoted at 1,660/1,665 ringgit a ton.

Trades were done between 1,650 and 1,660 ringgit a ton.

—Reuters