Forex News

Oleh Danni Haizal Danial Donald KUALA LUMPUR, 20 Mac (Bernama) -- Ringgit ditutup tinggi berbanding dolar AS pada Khamis berikutan Rizab Persekutuan (Fed) Amerika Syarikat (AS) mengekalkan kadar faedah penanda arasnya namun memberikan isyarat bahawa penurunan kadar faedah kekal dalam perancangan. Mata wang tempatan menokok 0.33 peratus kepada RM4.4215/4270 daripada 4.4330/4400 semasa ditutup pada Rabu. Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata Fed kekal tidak terkesan dengan prospek kadar faedah walaupun mengalami ketidaktentuan dasar yang meningkat terutamanya mengenai kesan tarif import. “Unjuran makroekonomi terkini oleh Fed mengesahkan prospeknya mengenai dua penurunan kadar pada 2025...

The Swiss franc weakened against other major currencies in the European session on Thursday, after the Swiss National Bank trimmed its interest rate for the fifth consecutive meeting to the lowest since September 2022, amid heightened downside risks to inflation. The policy board, led by President Martin Schlegel, lowered the policy rate by 25 basis points to 0.25 percent from 0.50 percent. This followed a 50-basis point cut in December. The bank has reduced the key rate by 150 basis points since March 2024. Banks' sight deposits held at the SNB will be remunerated at the policy rate up to a certain threshold, and at zero percent above this threshold. The central bank forecast inflation at 0.4 percent in 2025, which was slightly up...

The British pound weakened against most major currencies in the European session on Thursday, following the release of the U.K.'s labor market data for January. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that the ILO unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, unchanged from the previous figure and predictions. The U.K. economy recruited 144K new workers, compared to the 107K new hires in the three months ended December. Meanwhile, investors wait for the Bank of England's (BoE) interest rate announcement due later in the day. With a 7-2 vote split, the BoE is expected to maintain interest rates at 4.5 percent, due to tariff uncertainties and the British government's impending tax hike for employers. The Bank of England lowered...

The New Zealand dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday, as the New Zealand's central bank hinted about two additional 25 basis point reductions in April and May, with a third cut perhaps coming later in the year. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has lowered the official cash rate by 175 basis points to 3.75% since August 2024. In economic news, the People's Bank of China kept its one-year loan prime rate unchanged at 3.10 percent. Likewise, the five-year LPR, the benchmark for mortgage rates, was retained at 3.60 percent. Both the rates were last reduced by 25 basis points each in October 2024. The announcement came after the U.S. Federal Reserve left its interest rate unchanged on...

The Australian dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday, following the release of Australia's disappointing domestic employment data in February. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that the Australian economy lost 52,800 jobs last month, well shy of expectations for an increase of 30,800 jobs following the addition of 44,000 in January. The unemployment rate in Australia came in at a seasonally adjusted 4.1 percent in February, said on Thursday - in line with expectations and unchanged from the January reading. Full-time employment was down 35,700 jobs following the addition of 54,100 a month earlier. The participation rate was 66.8 percent, again missing forecasts for 67.3...

The Japanese yen strengthened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Thursday, as traders speculate that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will continue raising interest rates as robust wage growth may increase consumer spending and fuel inflation. Ongoing concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies and their effects on the world economy as well as geopolitical dangers, also contributed to the upturn of safe-haven JPY. The U.S. Fed announced its widely expected decision to again leave interest rates unchanged but signaled that it is still likely to lower rates twice later this year. The accompanying statement by the Fed noted "uncertainty around the economic outlook has increased," and the Fed said it is...

Oleh Zufazlin Baharuddin KUALA LUMPUR, 20 Mac (Bernama) -- Ringgit dibuka tinggi berbanding dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS) pada Khamis selepas Jawatankuasa Pasaran Terbuka Rizab Persekutuan (FOMC) AS cenderung kepada penurunan kadar faedah susulan inflasi. Pada 8 pagi, ringgit meningkat kepada 4.4200/4305 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.4330/4400 ketika ditutup semalam. Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata FOMC memutuskan kadar faedah dikekalkan dan memperlahan kadar pengurangan lembaran imbangannya daripada US$25 bilion kepada US$5 bilion. Beliau berkata perkara itu menandakan kecenderungan Rizab Persekutuan AS (Fed) kepada kadar faedah rendah. “Semasa sidang media, Pengerusi Fed Jerome...

Oleh Engku Shariful Azni Engku Ab Latif KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Mac (Bernama) -- Kontrak niaga hadapan minyak sawit mentah (MSM) di Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ditutup tinggi pada Rabu, mengubah kerugian pada awalnya susulan harga minyak kacang soya yang lebih kukuh, kata peniaga minyak sawit David Ng. Beliau berkata kenaikan minyak kacang soya disebabkan prospek permintaan yang lebih kukuh, terutamanya dari India dan China. “Perkembangan cuaca yang memburuk di kawasan penanaman utama tertentu, yang mungkin menjejaskan prospek tanaman dan dengan itu menyokong harga minyak kekacang. "Kami mengesan paras sokongan pada RM4,350 setan dan paras rintangan pada RM4,580 setan," katanya kepada Bernama hari ini. Pada penutup dagangan, bulan semerta...

Oleh Karina Imran KUALA LUMPUR, 19 Mac (Bernama) -- Ringgit ditutup tinggi berbanding dolar AS pada Rabu, naik 0.24 peratus kepada 4.4330/4400 daripada 4.4450/4490 pada Isnin lepas berikutan sentimen berhati-hati menjelang keputusan mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pasaran Terbuka Persekutuan (FOMC) Amerika Syarikat (AS) hari ini. Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata sentimen pasaran kekal berhati-hati menjelang perbincangan FOMC AS malam ini. “Walaupun Kadar Dana Fed (FFR) dijangka dikekalkan, panduan daripada Rizab Persekutuan (Fed) AS adalah amat penting dalam menetapkan hala tuju pasaran mata wang,” katanya kepada Bernama. Beliau berkata unjuran oleh Fed AS mengenai kadar faedah akan...

The euro weakened against other major currencies in the European session on Wednesday, as European stocks were subdued after rising in the previous session on Germany's approval for a massive spending surge. Bond yields dipped marginally as traders await the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision, the post-meeting statement, updated economic projections and Chair Jerome Powell's comments for greater clarity on how proposed U.S. tariffs may impact prices and activity. Global ratings agency Fitch has lowered its global growth forecast and warned that U.S. President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs will push up inflation and delay Fed rate cuts. Meanwhile, amid economic headwinds both at home and abroad, the Bank of England is widely...

The Japanese yen weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Wednesday, after the Bank of Japan left its interest rate unchanged after hiking the rate by a quarter-point early this year, amid rising concerns about the U.S. trade policies and its impact on economic activity and prices. At a two-day meeting that ended on Wednesday, the policy board, governed by Kazuo Ueda, unanimously decided to maintain the uncollateralized overnight call rate at around 0.5 percent, which was the highest level since the global financial crisis in 2008. The bank had raised the benchmark rate to the current level from 0.25 percent in January. The BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda's commented at his post-meeting news conference held today, "If...

The euro strengthened against other major currencies in the European session on Tuesday, with an upcoming German vote on historic debt reforms and Ukraine peace talks in focus. The German parliament vote seeks to exempt defense spending from debt limits and create a 500-billion-euro infrastructure plan fund. The approval for the plan could boost the nation's economy and stimulate growth across Europe, despite the ongoing tensions with the U.S. The conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD), who are looking to form a coalition after the recent general election, are aiming to create the huge fund to facilitate higher spending on security. U.S. President Donald Trump will talk to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin later in the...

The New Zealand dollar strengthened, and the safe-haven yen weakened against major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday amid risk appetite, as traders continued to pick up stocks at reduced levels following recent weakness. They also seemed reluctant to make more significant moves ahead of the U.S. Fed's monetary policy announcement on Wednesday. Traders may also follow the latest geopolitical developments and assess their impact on financial markets. Investor confidence was raised by optimism for US-Russia peace talks, which contributed to the NZD's rise as well as JPY's drop. The optimism around China's stimulus initiatives continues to provide strong support for the global risk mood. Markets have been pricing in the...

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Mac (Bernama) -- Kadar antara bank jangka pendek ditutup stabil hari ini berikutan sokongan operasi Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) menyerap lebihan mudah tunai daripada sistem kewangan. Mudah tunai dalam sistem konvensional meningkat kepada RM38.53 bilion daripada RM32.42 bilion pagi ini manakala mudah tunai dalam dana Islam lebih rendah pada RM20.11 bilion berbanding RM22.07 bilion sebelum ini. Terdahulu, bank pusat itu mengendalikan dua tender repo berbalik, tender repo berbalik semalaman dan tender repo berbalik Islam. Ia turut mengumumkan ketersediaan repo berbalik, perjanjian jual dan belian semula serta kemudahan murabahah komoditi bercagar dengan tempoh seminggu, sebulan dan tiga bulan. Pada 4 petang, BNM...

Oleh Nur Athirah Mohd Shaharuddin KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Mac (Bernama) -- Kontrak niaga hadapan minyak sawit mentah (MSM) di Bursa Malaysia Derivatif ditutup lebih rendah hari ini susulan jangkaan pengeluaran yang lebih tinggi dan kadar eksport yang lebih lemah pada minggu-minggu akan datang, kata peniaga minyak sawit David Ng. Beliau berkata eksport minyak sawit agaklembap disebabkan oleh peningkatan bekalan selain harga minyak-minyak sayuran yang murah, mengurangkan permintaan untuk minyak sawit. "Peningkatan pengeluaran mungkin berterusan sehingga suku ketiga tahun ini. Kami menjangkakan harga MSM mendapat sokongan pada RM4,300 satu tan dan rintangan pada RM4,510 satu tan," katanya kepada Bernama. Pada penutup, bulan semerta baharu...

Oleh Rosemarie Khoo Mohd Sani KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Mac (Bernama) -- Ringgit ditutup rendah berbanding dolar Amerika Syarikat (AS) pada Isnin apabila peniaga dan pelabur kekal berwaspada menjelang mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pasaran Terbuka Rizab Persekutuan (FOMC) AS selama dua hari bermula esok, kata penganalisis. Pada 6 petang, ringgit turun kepada 4.4450/4490 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.4410/4455 ketika ditutup pada Jumaat lepas. Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata data ekonomi AS yang hambar, peningkatan ketidaktentuan mengenai geopolitik di Eropah dan Timur Tengah serta komitmen China untuk melonjakkan penggunaan telah menyebabkan pasaran berada dalam keadaan defensif. “Dagangan dolar...

The Japanese yen weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Monday, as markets react positively to China unveiling a special action plan over the weekend to revive consumption and to boost the stock and real estate market. The ongoing concerns about the impact of President Donald Trump's trade policies are hurting market sentiment. Traders focus on the Bank of Japan (BoJ) decision on Wednesday. When the BOJ's two-day policy meeting ends on Wednesday, it is anticipated to maintain rates at 0.5%. Any clues on the outlook will be gained from Governor Kazuo Ueda's press conference following the meeting. Traders are increasing their wagers that the Federal Reserve will need to decrease interest rates multiple times...

The Antipodean currencies such as the Australia and the New Zealand dollars strengthened against their major currencies in the Asian session on Monday, as markets react positively to China unveiling a special action plan over the weekend to revive consumption and to boost the stock and real estate market. The ongoing concerns about the impact of President Donald Trump's trade policies are hurting market sentiment. China's industrial production and retail sales expanded more than expected in the January to February period driven by fiscal stimulus, but the property market remained a drag on the economy. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China industrial production registered an annual growth of 5.9 percent but...

Oleh Zufazlin Baharuddin KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Mac (Bernama) -- Ringgit dibuka tinggi hari ini selepas Amerika Syarikat (AS) mengelak daripada menutup operasi kerajaan, menunjukkan sentimen mengambil risiko yang lebih baik, membawa kepada dolar AS yang rendah. Pada 8 pagi, ringgit naik kepada 4.4395/4500 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.4410/4455 pada Jumaat lepas. Ketua Ahli Ekonomi Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkata data ekonomi AS yang lemah turut menyumbang kepada sentimen positif terhadap mata wang tempatan hari ini. Dilaporkan indeks sentimen pengguna University of Michigan merosot dengan ketara kepada 57.9 mata pada Mac. “Ini merupakan penurunan untuk bulan ketiga berturut-turut dan terendah...

Kontrak niaga hadapan minyak sawit mentah (MSM) di Bursa Malaysia Derivatives dijangka diniagakan lebih rendah minggu depan dalam julat antara RM4,000 dan RM4,200 satu tan, kata peniaga kanan minyak sawit Interband Group of Companies Jim Teh. Menurutnya ini berikutan perang perdagangan global yang semakin meningkat yang dimulakan oleh Amerika Syarikat. “Pemain pasaran terus berhati-hati dan akan kekal tidak memasuki pasaran berikutan lebih banyak perang perdagangan membabitkan tarif dijangka berlaku pada beberapa minggu akan datang,” katanya kepada Bernama. Teh berkata dari segi permintaan fizikal, China, India, Pakistan dan beberapa negara dari Timur Tengah dan Kesatuan Eropah kekal sebagai pembeli. Menurutnya tiada kekurangan...