Ringgit closes easier against US dollar

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit closed easier against the US dollar today, as did regional currencies.
At 6pm, the local unit was traded at 4.4215/4255 against the US dollar from 4.4200/4240 on Thursday.
A dealer said the decline was due to a rise in US and European bond yields, following the European Central Bank's decision to extend its bond buying scheme.
He said besides the ringgit, the South Korean Won was also hit, declining by 0.6 per cent against the dollar.
"The market will turn somewhat cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve's interest rate announcement next week," the dealer said.
Against a basket of major currencies, the ringgit traded higher.
Vis-a-vis the Singapore dollar, the ringgit rose to 3.1067/1100 from 3.1215/1247 and versus the Yen it increased to 3.8643/8681 from 3.8960/8005 yesterday.
Compared with the British pound, the local currency strengthened to 5.5768/5832 from 5.6041/6105, while against the Euro, it improved to 4.6974/6034 from 4.7736/7801. — Bernama