KUALA LUMPUR (April 29): The ringgit rebounded to open slightly higher against the US dollar on Friday (April 29) after two consecutive days of losses as the cheaper ringgit attracted investors, said an analyst.
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At 9.16am, the local note stood at 4.3550/3595 versus the greenback from Thursday’s close at 4.3630/3650.
According to the analyst, investors seemed to have reacted positively to Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) assurance that the country’s economy remains strong despite the ringgit’s downtrend.
In a news report on Thursday, BNM governor Tan Sri Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus dismissed concerns that the depreciation of the ringgit was a “telltale” sign that Malaysia will have trouble settling its external debts, as is the case with some countries, stressing that “Malaysia is nowhere near that position”.
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However, another dealer said the ringgit’s gains are limited as investors remain concerned over the Bank of Japan’s decision on its monetary policy.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was traded higher against a basket of major currencies.
The local note strengthened versus the Japanese yen to 3.3369/3406 from Thursday’s close at 3.3412/3430, and rose against the euro to 4.5828/5875 from 4.5894/5915 previously.
It appreciated against the Singapore dollar to 3.1474/1508 from Thursday’s close at 3.1488/1507, and increased vis-a-vis the British pound to 5.4381/4437 from 5.4590/4615 previously.-BERNAMA