Ringgit Continues To Climb To 19-Month High

Ringgit Continues To Climb To 19-Month High - The ringgit continued its upward momentum to open at a 19-month high of 3.9880/9930 against the US dollar Monday,  on improved sentiment towards the local note.

It was prompted by the strong trade surplus, as well as, expectations of a hike in the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) by Bank Negara Malaysia this year.

The local unit, which last touched the 3.98 level on July 19, 2016,  was up 70 basis points against last Friday's close of 3.9950/9000.

In a note, RHB Research said the ringgit strengthened by 1.7 per cent to RM3.9985 to the US dollar in the first week of January 2018, after appreciating by 0.6 per cent  in December 2017.

“For the full year of 2017, the ringgit strengthened by 9.5 per cent, after depreciating by 4.5 per cent in 2016,” it said.

Moving forward, the research house expects the ringgit to strengthen gradually to RM3.95 against the US dollar at the end of 2018, from RM4.062 as at end-2017, driven by a surplus in the current account.

RHB Research said the US dollar would likely decline given expectations of a stronger Euro as the European Central Bank moves to taper its quantitative easing, and this, in turn, suggests that emerging currencies like the ringgit could strengthen against the US dollar as well in 2018.

Meanwhile, the ringgit traded mostly higher against a basket of major currencies.

It appreciated against the Singapore dollar to 3.0062/0102 from 3.0081/0123 on Friday and rose against the yen to 3.5258/5311 from 3.5279/5333.

The ringgit was higher against the euro at 4.8027/8092 from 4.8116/8192, but fell against the British pound to 5.4121/4205 from 5.4048/4132. - Bernama

The following table shows rates for Asian currencies against the dollar on Monday Jan 8 at 1000 Malaysian time.

    

 CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

                                               

 Change on as of 0200 GMT

                              

 Currency                     Latest bid  Previous day  Pct Move

 Japan yen                    113.120     113.06        -0.05

 Sing dlr                     1.327       1.3261        -0.08

 Taiwan dlr                   29.469      29.523        +0.18

 Korean won                   1066.000    1062.7        -0.31

 Baht                         32.120      32.22         +0.31

 Peso                         49.870      49.865        -0.01

 Rupiah                       13397.000   13413         +0.12

 Rupee                        63.365      63.37         0.00

 Ringgit                      3.986       3.995         +0.23

 Yuan                         6.484       6.4887        +0.07

                                                        

 Change so far

                                          

 Currency                     Latest bid  End 2017      Pct Move

 Japan yen                    113.120     112.67        -0.40

 Sing dlr                     1.327       1.3373        +0.77

 Taiwan dlr                   29.469      29.848        +1.29

 Korean won                   1066.000    1070.50       +0.42

 Baht                         32.120      32.58         +1.43

 Peso                         49.870      49.93         +0.12

 Rupiah                       13397.000   13565         +1.25

 Rupee                        63.365      63.87         +0.80

 Ringgit                      3.986       4.0440        +1.46

 Yuan                         6.484       6.5069        +0.35