KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — The ringgit closed the week stronger against the United States (US) dollar amid the greenback’s continued weakness as the higher-than-expected US Producer Price Index (PPI) for July failed to provide lasting support for the currency.
At 6pm, the local note rose marginally to 4.2085/2155 from Thursday’s close of 4.2090/2145.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the ringgit traded within a narrow range today — between RM4.2162 and RM4.2225 — while the US Dollar Index slipped 0.36 per cent to 97.900 points as the hotter-than-expected PPI failed to lift the US dollar on a sustained basis.
Malaysia’s gross domestic product print held at 4.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, with domestic demand remaining the primary driver, while the contraction in net exports suggests that the downside to overall growth mainly emanated from the external sector.
“The downside risks to growth have become elevated due to the uncertainties over external development,” he told Bernama.
At the close, the ringgit settled mostly higher against major currencies.
It strengthened versus the Japanese yen to 2.8653/8702 from Thursday’s close of 2.8703/8742 and gained against the British pound to 5.7050/7145 from 5.7146/7220, but eased vis-à-vis the euro to 4.9185/9267 from 4.9170/9234.
The ringgit traded higher against regional peers.
The currency appreciated against the Singapore dollar to 3.2820/2877 from 3.2849/2895 at yesterday’s close and rose against the Thai baht to 12.9760/13.0032 from 13.0004/0238.
The local currency also firmed against the Philippine peso to 7.37/7.39 from 7.39/7.41 previously and increased against the Indonesian rupiah to 260.2/260.8 from 261.1/261.6.
