The ringgit closed slightly lower against the US dollar after stronger US economic data was reported yesterday.
At 10:31 am, the ringgit opened at 4.0630, down 0.15% against the US dollar since opening early Thursday in the Asian session.
Director of Investment Strategy and National Economist at IPPFA Sdn Bhd, Mohd Sedek Jantan explained that US economic data showed a stronger improvement, especially the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Services Index.
However, the Bloomberg Asia Dollar Index remained flat, indicating no significant risk shift from Asian currencies.
Meanwhile, the US ISM Services Sector Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) hit a 14-month high with the services sector remaining in expansion for the third consecutive month since December last year.
The index rose to 54.4 in December 2025 from 52.6 in November 2025, reflecting the encouraging performance of US economic activity.
At the opening, the ringgit traded higher against a basket of currencies.
It strengthened against the Japanese yen to 2.5876/5960 from 2.5920/5954 yesterday, rose against the euro to 4.7350/7502 from 4.7394/7453 and rose against the British pound to 5.4572/4747 from 5.4732/4799 previously.
The ringgit also traded higher against ASEAN currencies.
It rose marginally against the Indonesian rupiah to 241.6/242.5 from 241.7/242.1 and gained against the Singapore dollar to 3.1613/1717 from 3.1641/1682.
It also rose against the Thai baht to 12.9391/9906 from 12.9630/9852 and was unchanged against the Philippine peso at 6.83/6.86 from 6.83/6.84.
