KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened marginally lower against the US dollar today ahead of the highly anticipated Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting which will begin tonight.

At 9 am, the ringgit eased to 4.7665/7710 against the greenback from yesterday's close of 4.7650/7700.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said two-day FOMC meeting would be the most closely watched event prior to the US' nonfarm payrolls data which is expected to decline to 240,000 in April based on consensus estimates from 303,000 in the preceding month.

 - Bernama