Malaysian palm oil futures climbed above MYR 4,300 per tonne, marking their first rise in four sessions. This increase was supported by expectations of strong demand from China, a key buyer, ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations in late January. Additionally, demand from India, the world’s largest consumer, is anticipated to grow further this year, fueled by ongoing urbanization and population growth. Meanwhile, Malaysia implemented the updated Sustainable Palm Oil Standard, MSPO 2.0, at the start of 2025, introducing stricter requirements for sustainability, traceability, and ethical practices in palm oil production. Despite the daily gain, futures are set to decline nearly 6% for the week due to concerns about Indonesia's B40 biodiesel mandate, which faces regulatory delays and funding challenges. On the export side, cargo surveyors reported a 2.5% to 7.8% decrease in Malaysia's palm oil shipments in December compared to the previous month.