Threat to ringgit’s resilience
Morgan Stanley predicts the currency will weaken by year-end
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s ringgit was sheltered from the worst of last month’s emerging-market selloff, thanks to higher oil prices. It may be about to make up for lost time.
Traders will be hovering over the sell button after Wednesday’s policy meeting in case the central bank shows any sign of turning dovish due to the worsening US-China trade dispute and the new government’s decision to cut back on infrastructure spending to trim its debt burden.
Analysts predict economic growth will slow to 5.5% this year from 5.9%, while inflation will cool to 2.5% from 3.9%, giving new governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus plenty of reason to ease policy.
Although analysts predict Bank Negara will keep its benchmark unchanged at 3.25% this week, they have been trimming predictions for a future increase.
The market implied policy rate for one year’s time has declined to 3.28% from 3.41% in May, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Morgan Stanley predicts the ringgit will weaken to 4.28 per dollar by year-end due to expectations for a stronger dollar, concern about Malaysia’s debt burden and ongoing political uncertainties.
Barclays Plc says it will drop to 4.20 amid a possible deterioration in the nation’s finances after the scrapping of the goods and services tax. The currency was at 4.0373 last Friday.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has made clear his preference for the ringgit’s direction, saying its fair value should be 3.8 per dollar. While it may eventually appreciate to that level, the short-term risks are for it to go the other way.
Source: Bloomberg
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