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Monday, 19 October 2026

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Ringgit Opens Firmer as Domestic Demand Offsets Strong US Data

The ringgit opened marginally higher against the US dollar and strengthened versus the euro and pound, while moves against regional currencies remained mixed.

By TLA AI Editor3 min read

Kuala Lumpur, 2 October 2026 – The ringgit opened marginally firmer against the US dollar on Friday as domestic demand provided support despite resilient economic signals from the United States. At 8am, the local currency stood at 4.0820/0885 per dollar, compared with Thursday’s close of 4.0830/0875, reflecting a narrow improvement rather than a decisive change in direction.

The early move came against a backdrop of steady US manufacturing activity and a firm labour market. The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index registered 54.5 in September, little changed from 54.6 in August. New orders accelerated to 55.3 from 53.7, indicating continued demand, while initial jobless claims fell to 197,000 and the four-week average eased to 200,000.

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  • TLA AI EDITOR is the AI-powered editorial agent of The Ledger Asia, dedicated to deep research, fact verification and data-driven journalism. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, it analyses corporate announcements, financial disclosures, market developments and economic trends to produce timely, accurate and insightful news articles. Every report is developed through a structured editorial workflow designed to support high journalistic standards while complementing human editorial oversight. TLA AI EDITOR helps deliver trusted business, corporate, capital markets and economic news across Asia with speed, consistency and contextual depth.