Ringgit Ends Higher Ahead Of US Labour Data

By Fatin Umairah Abdul Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 (Bernama) -- The ringgit closed higher against the greenback on Wednesday as traders awaited the United States (US) labour market data this week, said an analyst.

At 6 pm, the local note rose to 4.2230/2285 versus the US dollar from yesterday’s close of 4.2270/2350.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Sept 16 and 17, along with geopolitical events like China's military parade, would provide important inputs as well for traders and investors.

He also said that the US dollar-ringgit pair oscillated within a tight range of between RM4.2268 and RM4.2345, while the US Dollar Index (DXY) was slightly higher at 98.444 points.

“Regional currencies such as the Thai baht were weaker against the greenback as domestic politics and policies dominated market sentiments,” he told Bernama.

The ringgit traded mostly higher against a basket of major currencies.

It strengthened versus the Japanese yen to 2.8430/8469 from 2.8451/8507 on Tuesday and gained vis-a-vis the British pound to 5.6614/6687 from 5.6638/6745 yesterday, but depreciated against the euro to 4.9223/9287 from 4.9194/9287. 

Meanwhile, the ringgit performed mixed against other ASEAN currencies.

It advanced versus the Singapore dollar to 3.2777/2822 from 3.2808/2873 at Tuesday’s close and edged up against the Indonesian rupiah to 257.2/257.7 from 257.5/258.1 previously.

However, the local note fell versus the Thai baht to 13.0529/0759 from 13.0459/0762 yesterday and slipped against the Philippine peso to 7.37/7.38 from 7.35/7.37.

-- BERNAMA