Ringgit Eases Slightly Against Greenback Ahead Of Non-farm Payroll Data, US Election

By Siti Radziah Hamzah

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- The ringgit eased slightly at the close against the US dollar on Friday ahead of the release of the American non-farm payroll (NFP) data later tonight and the US presidential election next week, said an analyst. 

At 6 pm, the local note dipped to 4.3780/3835 against the greenback from Wednesday’s close of 4.3755/3805. 

“It has been a slow day for the ringgit as liquidity dries up ahead of the US election, with an added dose of caution around tonight’s NFP release,” SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes told Bernama. 

At the close, the ringgit was mostly lower against a basket of major currencies.

It gained vis-a-vis the British pound to 5.6502/6573 from Wednesday’s close of 5.6877/6942 but fell versus the Japanese yen to 2.8652/8690 from 2.8591/8625 and slipped against the euro to 4.7532/7592 from 4.7430/7485. 

The local note traded higher versus ASEAN currencies.

It was slightly higher against the Indonesian rupiah at 278.2/278.7 from 278.5/279.0 and edged up vis-a-vis the Singapore dollar to 3.3054/3098 from 3.3080/3120.  The ringgit advanced against the Philippine peso to 7.49/7.51 from Wednesday’s close of 7.51/7.52 and strengthened against the Thai baht to 12.9103/9322 from 12.9837/13.0047. 

-- BERNAMA