KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s ringgit rose to the strongest versus the Singapore dollar in five years as higher energy prices support the net energy exporter, which was also propelled by optimism over artificial intelligence (AI).
The ringgit strengthened 0.2% to 3.0615 versus its Singaporean counterpart yesterday, its highest level since March 2021.
The “ringgit should be one of the best performing currencies in Asia (again) this year,” Goldman Sachs Group Inc strategists including Danny Suwanapruti wrote in a note last Saturday.
“Given the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and likely higher liquefied natural gas prices, we think Malaysia is best positioned in the region to weather a global energy shock.
“We remain bullish on the ringgit and maintain our short Singapore dollar-ringgit trade recommendation.”
As a net energy exporter, Malaysia’s currency has been supported by signs of Brent oil prices potentially staying higher for longer, as investors continue to monitor the Iran war and the impact on the movement of oil around the world.
In comparison, most regional Asian economies, including Singapore, are net oil importers, and have seen their currencies drop as energy costs rise.
Malaysia’s currency has also been boosted by foreign direct investment related to AI, as well as above-forecast gross-domestic-product growth.
The Singaporean dollar-ringgit pair has significance because the countries share close trade ties, and the land border between them is one of the busiest crossings in the world. Domestic equities have also navigated the global equities sell-off better than peers.
The FBM KLCI equity benchmark index rose as much as 0.9% yesterday, to the highest intraday price since Feb 27. The gauge is up slightly since the Iran war started, compared with a drop of more than 6% for MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index. — Bloomberg
