Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said the ringgit traded within a narrow range today – between RM4.2162 and RM4.2225 – while the US Dollar Index slipped 0.36% to 97.900 points as the hotter-than-expected PPI failed to lift the US dollar on a sustained basis.

He said Malaysia’s gross domestic product print held at 4.4% in the second quarter of 2025, with domestic demand remaining the primary driver, while the contraction in net exports suggests that the downside to overall growth mostly emanated from the external sector.

“The downside risks to growth have become elevated due to the uncertainties over external development,” he told Bernama.

At 6pm, the local currency rose marginally to 4.2085/4.2155 from yesterday’s close of 4.2090/4.2145.

At the close, the ringgit settled mostly higher against major currencies.

It strengthened versus the Japanese yen to 2.8653/2.8702 from yesterday’s close of 2.8703/2.8742 and gained against the British pound to 5.7050/5.7145 from 5.7146/5.7220, but eased vis-a-vis the euro to 4.9185/4.9267 from 4.9170/4.9234.

The ringgit traded higher against regional peers.

It appreciated versus the Singapore dollar to 3.2820/3.2877 from 3.2849/3.2895 at yesterday’s close and rose against the Thai baht to 12.9760/13.0032 from 13.0004/13.0238.

The local currency also firmed against the Philippine peso to 7.37/7.39 from 7.39/7.41 previously and increased against the Indonesian rupiah to 260.2/260.8 from 261.1/261.6.