The Malaysian ringgit weakened against the US dollar in early Friday trading, reversing a recent trend of strength that had been supported by softer US labor data.
The currency traded at 4.0925/0980 against the greenback by 08:01 am local time, compared with a close of 4.0870/0910 on Thursday.
While the ringgit firmed against other major currencies, the dollar’s safe-haven appeal proved stronger amid shifting market sentiment.
The move reflects a broader risk-off turn in global markets, driven by climbing crude oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions linked to the Trump administration’s policies.
As energy costs rise and uncertainty grows, investors are rotating out of emerging market assets and into the US dollar, pressuring the ringgit despite its recent recovery momentum.
This session’s weakness contrasts with the ringgit’s performance earlier in the week, when it extended gains following weaker-than-expected US non-farm payrolls data for June.