KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 - Crude Palm Oil (CPO) prices will likely remain range bound till year-end, with not much catalysts to bring prices past RM3,000 per metric tonne, says ECMLibra Investment Research.

Among events to be watched for the coming weeks are September export numbers and production progress to see if the Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays would affect September stocks, it said in a research note today.

It said this include the on-going oil palm harvesting in North America, which would see a bumper crop, and weather developments in South America might affect commencement of planting schedule.

The CPO futures stemmed gains and closed the week flat at RM2,645 per metric tonne.

The research firm said September exports looked positive so far.

ECMLibra said Cargo Surveyor Intertek Testing Services reported shipments were up 5.4 per cent for Sept 1 to 15 while Societe Generale de Surveillance had reported 6.8 per cent increase. - Bernama