KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — The ringgit opened mostly higher against a basket of major currencies today after Malaysia’s advance estimate of third-quarter 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth came in stronger than expected at 5.3 per cent.
Against the US dollar, the ringgit was little changed, quoted at 4.0790/0855 at 8am compared with Friday’s close of 4.0795/0835.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said stronger-than-expected economic growth could reinforce expectations of a potential normalisation of monetary policy.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia, in its advance GDP estimates released on Friday, reported that the economy grew by 5.3 per cent in the third quarter, following 6.0 per cent growth in the preceding quarter.
