Ringgit strengthens as US yields ease ahead of Jackson Hole meeting

Malaysia's currency, the ringgit, strengthened against the US dollar on Wednesday, boosted by lower US Treasury yields and expected rate hike uncertainty, according to market analysts. The local currency finished at 4.0240/4.0280 against the greenback, up from Monday's close of 4.0405/4.0440. Stephen Innes, a global strategist at Quintex Intel, attributed the gain to softer US Treasury yields and non-resident bond accumulation, particularly in government and corporate bonds.

The upcoming Jackson Hole symposium, held from August 27-29, is closely monitored for potential clues on the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions, which could impact the dollar and the ringgit. US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's speech at the symposium is seen as crucial, as his hawkish stance could weaken the dollar and strengthen the ringgit.

Meanwhile, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd's chief economist Afzanizam Rashid noted that the ringgit's appreciation was also driven by the Fed's reduced likelihood of raising interest rates in September. At the close, the ringgit also gained against a basket of major currencies, including the Japanese yen, British pound, euro, Singapore dollar, Indonesian rupiah, Philippine peso, and Thai baht.