The ringgit opened slightly lower against the US dollar on Friday, supported by a slightly stronger US Dollar Index (DXY) and mixed signals from the US Federal Reserve (Fed).
At 10.20am, the ringgit was at 4.2530, down 0.19% against the US dollar from its close of 4.2410 at the end of Thursday.
The US DXY rose 0.10 per cent to 97.652 points overnight, reflecting a modest rise in the US dollar.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the Fed's policy direction remained uncertain, as officials gave mixed signals.
Domestically, he noted that the ringgit appreciated 0.15 per cent to RM4.2458 yesterday, showing a positive market response to Bank Negara Malaysia's recent 25 basis point cut in the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR).
Meanwhile, the ringgit was mostly higher against a basket of major currencies, except the Japanese yen.
It strengthened against the British pound to 5.7629/7901 from 5.7716/7845, and rose against the euro to 4.9663/9897 from 4.9751/9863.
However, it depreciated slightly against the Japanese yen to 2.9015/9154 from 2.9014/9081.
The local note was mixed against Asean currencies.
It rose against the Thai baht to 13.0144/0834 from 13.0196/0548 at yesterday's close, and was almost flat against the Philippine peso at 7.51/7.55 from 7.51/7.53.
However, it traded slightly lower against the Singapore dollar at 3.3174/3333 from 3.3159/3236, and depreciated slightly against the Indonesian rupiah to 261.5/262.9 from 261.3/262.1 previously.
