JAKARTA (Dow Jones)--Crude palm oil futures on Malaysia's derivatives
exchange ended lower Wednesday on late profit-taking ahead of a holiday, said
trade participants.

  The benchmark August CPO contract ended down MYR28 at MYR2,602 a metric ton
in volatile trade which saw prices swinging back and forth through positive and
negative territory.

  Traders said players were uncertain about the near-term direction for CPO
prices. Data for Malaysia's May 1-20 exports were up on month but fell within
or near market expectations, prompting some players to book profits on
predictions that the market had already sufficiently priced in such data in
recent days when CPO prices rallied.

  Cargo surveyor SGS (Malaysia) Bhd. estimated palm oil exports during May 1-20
rose 10.7% on month to 827,609 tons.

  Another cargo surveyor, Intertek Agri Services, pegged exports at 813,877
tons, up 8% on month.

  Market participants had estimated exports at 814,000 tons.

  Soyoil and crude oil futures trading in positive territory during Asian
trading hours helped cap CPO losses and, at times, pushed CPO prices into
positive territory.

  But with major vegetable oil markets like Rotterdam and Indonesia closed
Thursday, players squared off positions toward the end of the trading day.

  Profit-taking was prompted by a lack of trades in the physical market.

  "The cash market was quiet throughout the day, and this led to a downward
bias toward prices," said a Singapore-based trader.

  Open interest in CPO on the BMD rose to 78,314 lots Wednesday from 77,463
lots Tuesday. Traded volume rose to 24,927 lots from 17,599 lots. One lot
comprises 25 tons.

  Cash palm olein for June traded at $822.50/ton, a trader in Singapore said.

  Cash CPO for prompt shipment was offered MYR50 lower at MYR2,730/ton.

Closing BMD CPO futures prices in MYR/ton at 1000 GMT:

Month      Close    Previous   Change   High    Low
Jun 09     2,706    2,740      Dn 34    2,751   2,699
Jul 09     2,655    2,684      Dn 29    2,695   2,635
Aug 09     2,602    2,630      Dn 28    2,656   2,588
Sep 09     2,575    2,605      Dn 30    2,629   2,563