KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's end-October palm oil inventories rebounded from the month before as exports sank, while production climbed to a 13-month high, data by the nation's palm oil board showed on Wednesday.

Stockpile at the world's second largest producer expanded 4.42% from September to 1.83 million tonnes, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

Crude palm oil output gained 1.3% to 1.73 million tonnes, its highest since September 2020.

Production remains below pre-pandemic levels, however, and stockpiles are 16.8% below the 10-year historical average of 2.2 million tonnes for October, said Marcello Cultrera, institutional sales manager and broker at Phillip Futures in Kuala Lumpur.

Exports plunged 12.03% to 1.42 million tonnes as key importers slow purchases after a surge in shipments during the previous month.

A sharp rally in the benchmark palm oil prices, which hit a record of 5,220 ringgit ($1,255.41) a tonne in mid-October have also deterred demand, traders and analysts said.

"MPOB data emerged within expectation reflecting the largely priced-in bearish tone," said Sathia Varqa, co-founder of Singapore-based Palm Oil Analytics.

Imports fell 32.73% to 50,540 tonnes.