RTRS:VEGOILS-Palm hits near two week high on euro optimism
* Euro zone concerns ease, but rise in palm prices fragile
* Possible El Nino return eyed by traders
* Crude oil and Dalian both gain to offer palm support
By Michael Taylor
JAKARTA, May 28 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures rose
to a near two week high on Monday, as investor worries about the
euro zone debt crisis eased and demand showed signs of improving
ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in July.
Asian shares and the euro edged up from lows on Monday as
opinion polls showing a lead for Greece's pro-bailout camps
helped ease risk aversion and calm fears of a disorderly exit by
Athens from the single currency.
The benchmark August palm oil futures on the Bursa
Malaysia Derivatives Exchange added 0.3 percent to trade at
3,139 ringgit ($1,000) per tonne.
Traded volumes stood at 7,470 lots of 25 tonnes each,
compared to Friday's total at 21,931 lots.
"Euro zone concerns and macro fears are easing," said a
Kuala Lumpur-based trader. "Demand is also a tad better."
After peaking at 3,158 ringgit on Monday, traders said
prices could peak at about 3,200 ringgit by the end of this
month.
Last week, a failure by European policymakers to make any
significant breakthrough in resolving the debt crisis weighed on
palm prices, sending the benchmark down to its lowest level
this year at 2,993 ringgit per tonne.
Palm oil will end its current rebound around resistance at
3,192 ringgit as indicated by a Fibonacci retracement analysis
and a falling channel, said Reuters market analyst Wang Tao
based on technical analysis.
Also offering support to palm was crude oil, which edged
above $107 per barrel on euro zone hopes and the lack of
progress in talks over Iran's nuclear programme.
The demand outlook was still uncertain however, and traders
were looking for more news on Europe.
"In the 19th century we were worried about their invasion,"
the Kuala Lumpur trader said on Europe. "Today we're worried
about their economies."
Another positive for edible oils was an upturn in demand
from India and Pakistan for Ramadan, where fasting in the day is
followed by feasting in the evening.
"It is fair for the market to go higher, after being heavily
oversold," said a Jakarta-based trader. "Fundamentals are still
supportive - production is not really high and demand not to
bad.
"Only the macro picture was behind the recent downtrend."
Data last week showed that palm oil exports rose slightly in
May.
Investors are also keeping a close eye on weather patterns,
where dry conditions in the United States could hurt the soybean
crop, and a possible return of the El Nino weather pattern that
may curb palm oil output in Southeast Asia.
U.S. markets will be closed most of Monday for the U.S.
Memorial Day holiday.
In other vegetable oil markets, the most active Dalian
soyoil September contract rose 1.1 percent.
Palm, soy and crude oil prices at 0533 GMT
Contract Month Last Change Low High Volume
M'ASIA PALM OIL JUN2 0 +0.00 0 0 0
M'ASIA PALM OIL JUL2 3141 +11.00 3133 3158 1707
M'ASIA PALM OIL AUG2 3139 +9.00 3129 3158 7470
M'ASIA PALM OIL SEP2 3131 +8.00 3123 3152 1491
DALIAN SOY OIL SEP2 9206 +104.00 9148 9214 133580
CBOT SOY OIL JUL2 50.15 +0.00 0.00 0.00 0
NYMEX CRUDE JUL2 91.68 +0.82 90.95 91.82 5719
Palm oil prices in Malaysian ringgit per tonne
CBOT soy oil in U.S. cents per pound
Dalian soy oil and RBD palm olein in Chinese yuan per tonne
Crude in U.S. dollars per barrel