KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — The ringgit closed lower on Thursday as the United States (US) dollar strengthened against other major currencies, following news that US President Donald Trump has no plans to remove incumbent US Federal Reserve (US Fed) chairman Jerome Powell.
At 6pm, the local currency weakened to 4.0535/0595 versus the greenback from Wednesday’s close of 4.0465/0525.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd’s chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the US dollar was on firmer footing, with the US Dollar Index (US DXY) rising 0.13 per cent to 99.187 points.
In a recent interview, Trump indicated no plans to remove Powell, despite the ongoing Justice Department investigation.
“The news seems to provide some support to the greenback, as new candidates for the US Fed chairmanship will be announced in a few weeks.
“The ringgit against the US dollar oscillated within a narrow range today, between RM4.048 and RM4.0578, due to cautious sentiments in the market,” he told Bernama.
At the close, the ringgit traded lower against a basket of major currencies.
It depreciated against the Japanese yen to 2.5594/5633 from 2.5488/5526 at yesterday’s close, weakened against the euro to 4.7167/7236 from 4.7146/7216, and edged down against the British pound to 5.4467/4548 from 5.4446/4526.
The local note was also easier against its Asean peers.
The ringgit slipped versus the Singapore dollar to 3.1491/1540 from 3.1432/1481, flat vis-à-vis the Indonesian rupiah at 239.9/240.3, showed little changed against the Philippine peso at 6.81/6.83 from 6.81/6.82 previously, and fell versus the Thai baht to 12.9096/9349 from 12.8714/8958.
