Ringgit flat vs dollar ahead of US-China talks in South Korea
Malaysia’s currency held steady against the dollar on Wednesday as traders awaited next week’s talks between American and Chinese officials in South Korea. The ringgit stayed at 4.2280 per dollar at the close of trading, matching Tuesday’s level. Bank Muamalat Malaysia’s chief economist said trade tensions between Washington and Beijing gave the greenback temporary support, though the ongoing US government shutdown and lack of fresh economic data could weaken that advantage.
The ringgit gained ground against other major currencies and most regional peers. It rose versus the British pound to 5.6309, improved against the euro to 4.9019, and edged up slightly against the Japanese yen to 2.7849. The local currency also strengthened against the Singapore dollar, Thai baht, and Philippine peso but slipped marginally against the Indonesian rupiah to 254.9.
