By Zufazlin Baharuddin
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- The ringgit continued its positive momentum, jumping to the 4.09 level against the US dollar at Friday’s close, hitting a new four-year-and-seven-month high, supported by positive Malaysian economic data.
At 6 pm, the ringgit jumped to 4.0945/1005 versus the greenback compared with Thursday’s close of 4.1040/1105.
The local currency strengthened to 4.09 today, a level last seen on April 27, 2021, when the local note traded at 4.0960 to the US dollar at the close.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the Industrial Production Index (IPI) rose 6.0 per cent year-on-year in October 2025, maintaining its positive momentum in all sectors.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the latest IPI figure came in higher at 6.0 per cent growth in October, led by strong expansion in the manufacturing sector of 6.5 per cent from 5.0 per cent previously.
“Within the manufacturing sector, export-oriented industries accelerated to 7.2 per cent from 4.8 per cent, suggesting that the external sector has been supportive of the Malaysian economy.
“In a nutshell, the Malaysian economy has been cruising at a decent speed and therefore, it does not necessitate any monetary easing by Bank Negara Malaysia in the immediate term. This should support the value of ringgit,” he told Bernama.
At the close, the ringgit trended mostly higher against a basket of major currencies.
It strengthened versus the British pound to 5.4789/4869 from 5.4879/4966 at Thursday’s close and edged up vis-à-vis the Japanese yen to 2.6264/6304 from 2.6333/6375. However, it weakened against the euro to 4.8037/8107 from 4.8025/8101 previously.
The local note, meanwhile, traded mostly higher against ASEAN currencies.
It climbed versus the Singapore dollar to 3.1701/1750 from 3.1711/1763 at Thursday’s close, strengthened against the Indonesian rupiah to 245.9/246.4 from 246.1/246.6 and rose against the Philippine peso at 6.93/6.94 from 6.95/6.97 yesterday.
However, the ringgit inched down vis-à-vis the Thai baht to 12.9589/9845 from 12.9219/9505 previously.
-- BERNAMA
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