{
  "id": 4987374,
  "title": "Ringgit opens lower amid higher oil prices, Fed rate hike bets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ringgit-opens-lower-amid-higher-oil-prices-fed-rate-hike-bets-4987374",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-02T00:38:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/02/ringgit-opens-lower-amid-higher-oil-prices-fed-rate-hike-bets"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR: On Wednesday, the Malaysian ringgit opened lower against the US dollar amid rising Brent crude oil prices, which increased worries about inflation and heightened expectations of an upcoming Federal Reserve rate hike, according to an analyst. By 8am, the ringgit fell to 4.0380/4.0445 against the greenback from Tuesday's close of 4.0370/4.0410. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid attributed the drop to the resumption of US-Iran military clashes, which pushed Brent crude oil prices up. Currently, Brent crude is up 0.78% at US$95.46 a barrel. Rashid noted that inflation concerns and a higher likelihood of a Fed rate hike have strengthened the US dollar. The DXY index rose 0.25% to 99.677 points, with the odds of a September Fed rate hike reaching 65%. Consequently, he anticipates the ringgit to trade cautiously between 4.03 and 4.05 today. Initially, the ringgit performed better against a basket of major currencies, strengthening against the Japanese yen, British pound, and euro, while weakening against the Singapore dollar and remaining stable against the Indonesian rupiah and Thai baht.",
  "summary": "The local currency eases to 4.0380/4.0445 as renewed US-Iran attacks keep geopolitical risks in focus.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "FXStreet",
        "title": "Gold slumps below $4,350 on higher US yields, hawkish Fed bets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/gold-slumps-below-4-350-on-higher-us-yields-hawkish-fed-bets",
        "published": "2026-09-01T23:28:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Ringgit opens lower amid higher oil prices, Fed rate hike bets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ringgit-opens-lower-amid-higher-oil-prices-fed-rate-hike-bets",
        "published": "2026-09-02T00:38:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Ringgit opens lower vs greenback amid higher oil prices, Fed rate hike bets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/ringgit-opens-lower-vs-greenback-amid-higher-oil-prices-fed-rate-hike",
        "published": "2026-09-02T00:47:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Business Times - Companies & Markets",
        "title": "Gold tumbles 2.5% to two-week low as global yields rise, US Fed rate-hike bets mount",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/gold-tumbles-2-5-to-two-week-low-as-global-yields-rise-us-fed-rate",
        "published": "2026-09-02T01:24:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}