Ringgit opens slightly higher against US dollar as Fed rate outlook softens

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — The Malaysian ringgit opened slightly higher today against the US dollar, buoyed by a weaker US Dollar Index as investors reevaluated the potential for a less aggressive stance from the Federal Reserve on interest rates. The ringgit gained to 4.0830/0880 from yesterday's close of 4.0835/0880 at 8am. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid attributed the rise to the DXY's fall of 0.40 per cent to 102.810 points after Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams' hint that the Fed Funds Rate may not be increased in 2027, citing gradual easing of inflation towards the 2 per cent target.

He added that Williams suggested the US economy is not overheating, thus not necessitating aggressive rate hikes. Mohd Afzanizam also noted that US inflation figures, including the projected rise in the Consumer Price Index to 3.6 per cent in September from 3.4 per cent, could be favorable for the ringgit, though market sentiment remains cautious.

The ringgit showed mixed performance against major currencies, trading higher against the Japanese yen, lower against the British pound, and mostly unchanged against its ASEAN peers, while remaining flat against the Indonesian rupiah and the Philippine peso.