THE ringgit opened almost flat against the US dollar on Friday morning as investors adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of the tabling of Budget 2026 in Parliament this afternoon.
At 8am, the local currency stood at 4.2140/2255 against the greenback, little changed from Thursday’s close of 4.2145/2185.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the ringgit is likely to remain range-bound in the near term as markets await further signals from the government’s fiscal strategy.
“The unveiling of Budget 2026 will provide more clarity on Malaysia’s fiscal position moving forward,” he told Bernama.
Afzanizam noted that Malaysia’s ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts have already shown results, with the deficit narrowing to 4.2 per cent of gross domestic product in the first half of 2025, compared to 5.5 per cent in the same period last year.
“It appears the government is on track to meet its 3.8 per cent deficit target for this year,” he added.
The Budget, expected to continue advancing the MADANI administration’s reform agenda, is seen as a key milestone in balancing economic growth support with fiscal discipline amid a volatile global outlook. - October10, 2025
