KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — The ringgit retreated from last week’s gain to close lower against the US dollar today, as investors turned to safe-haven assets, due to uncertainty in the global economic outlook, dealers said.
As of 6pm, the local note was at 4.4400/4480 compared with last Friday’s close of 4.3947/4012.
However, a dealer said the gain made by the greenback was limited as US lawmakers failed to pass a stimulus package to cushion the country from impacts related to Covid-19 pandemic, resulted in some investors who had bet on a big stimulus measure, vented their frustration by selling the US dollar.
“Legislators in Washington were unable to clear the stimulus measures on Sunday and a vote on Monday was ruled out as Republicans and Democrats tussled over the details of a proposed US$1 trillion spending package,” said the dealer.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was traded mostly lower against a basket of major currencies.
It fell slightly against the Singapore dollar at 3.0474/0543 from 3.0303/0369 at Friday’s close and declined vis-a-vis the euro to 4.7539/7634 from 4.7204/7303.
It also weakened against the Japanese yen to 4.0290/0374 from 3.9811/9898, but appreciated against the British pound to 5.1619/1730 from 5.1926/2042. — Bernama