Relax, the ringgit is not going to crash, says economist

Publish date: Thu, 01 Dec 2016, 07:04 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Judging by the ringgit's movement pattern in the fourth quarter of the last few years, even though the currency is currently volatile and Malaysians are becoming jittery, it is not going to crash, and will unlikely be traded beyond 4.50 against the US dollar, an economist said today.

IQI Group Holdings Chief Economist/Investment Strategist Shan Saeed said the ringgit will not collapse - instead it will just depreciate, in a manageable way, against the US dollar, as the greenback is getting stronger due to 'Trumponomics.'

"Trumponomics describes the economic policies of Trump. He is an entrepreneur and he knows how to play his cards.

"The US dollar is gaining strength and investors are moving funds into the greenback. It is as simple as 'ABC'. The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note has jumped from 1.37 per cent to 2.36 per cent in just four-and-a-half months," he told Bernama.

Shan said the yield of other fixed-income instruments has also perked and attracted fund movement, while that of the Italian 10-year government bond has more than doubled since Aug 2016.

The LIBOR, one of the world's most important benchmark rates, has jumped from 0.61 per cent at the start of the year, to 0.91 per cent, its highest level since Nov 2009, he said.

"Sit back and relax. Currency values are determined by market forces.

"I strongly believe the ringgit will soon stabilise and appreciate to the level of 4.20 to 4.30 (against the US dollar) within this month or January next year. What is more, the benchmark for oil prices has started trading above US$53 per barrel," he said.

Shan highlighted that besides the ringgit, all other currencies in the region have taken a beating from the US dollar.

"If you were to look at the chart for Nov, the Indonesian rupiah declined 3.7 per cent, the Philippine peso fell 2.7 per cent, the Singapore dollar is down 2.5 per cent, and the Thai baht lost 1.5 per cent.

"Does the currency chart mean that all these governments are bad, or their policies are wrong? The answer is no!

"It is because the US dollar is gaining strength and investors are moving funds into the US currency due to Trumponomics," he added. -- BERNAMA

Discussions
Be the first to like this. Showing 21 of 21 comments

gohkimhock

Corruption will bring down the ringgit.

2016-12-01 22:46

Lk036

Oil price up quite a lot but ringgit slightly down. Something is not right with ringgit. Upno meeting is so racist. All blame dap. Very extreme type seen. Don't know how is country will turn into in next 10 yrs.

2016-12-01 23:33

lextcs

we only have to refer to historical facts and stats to see if there is cause for concern. look at ringgit's performance over the last 5 yrs :-

1. Chinese yuan 2.10/1rm today 1.50 - lost of 0.60
2. thai baht 10.5b/1rm today 7.80 - lost 2.7
3. usd 3.00rm/1usd today 4.46 - lost 1.46
4. spore 2.39rm/1sing today 3.13 lost of 0.74c
5. hkong 2.5/1rm today 1.75hkd lost of 75c

our ringgit is also depreciating at a very constant rate against a whole lot of other lesser currencies. Soon there will be a tipping point where the rate of decline will be faster and more drastic. We can only fool ourselves with 'feel good' rhetorics but u can fool people who sees facts n figures don't lie.

2016-12-02 09:44

Fam Jenny

Many foreigners wish our economy and ringgit will crush into pieces and come in to buy cheap.Don't ever dream of the day bcos many others are also eyeing at our country with excellent infrastructures esp highways,lrt,mrt,ktm and educated human resources who speak English,mandarin,tamil and melayu.In south-east asia,we are the top in infrastructures in ratio of human usuage as we have less population,very high standard of living with beautiful housing amenities such as swimming pool,jucuzzi,tennis,suana,etc and free ownership of cars.If everyone has RM2k,we will have RM62bln in cash so in debts of RM100bln it is nothing to our country.
To ease our cash flow,we must capture brainy people for our high-tech industries.So it is high time for the government to allow foreigners to buy completed condo that is above 6 years,at rm600k above so that we attract the experts/skilled professionals to settle here.
Another area to improve our economy is to promote tourism more aggressively by having more campaigns and promotion of our tourist spots esp our beaches by the beautiful seas.

2016-12-02 10:55

Fam Jenny

Promotion of our country's infrastructures and advancement of development is one of our ways to setoff the negative thinking of our economy thus reverting the value of the currency.

2016-12-02 11:13

musangfoxking

what a psedo economist!!!! talk is soooo shallow n bland!!!!!

2016-12-02 11:18

Kesley Tan

this tell u all about our contry.
we have rich resources like oil but we fall behind SG so far.
unacceptable!

2016-12-02 11:19

Michael Wong Yew Kong

You are wrong more brainy people will leave Malaysia for better future and equal fair treatment. Malaysia policymaker is to favor one special group of people,not all Malaysian people.

2016-12-02 11:27

Fam Jenny

If one or two persons fail us,they will go eventually but not the country's economy be made the scapegoat and let everyone suffer.So those who badmonth our country's economy and cause the problems are equally notorious bcos they come with an agenda i.e to reap profits in toubled waters.A lot of these brainless people follow suit without knowing they wreck their own domestic economy for eg depreciation of currency cause them to pay more for imported goods and their children's education in foreign countries.The blind leads the blind,both will fall into pits and have their eventuality.
Pls plan and target the right enemy if you are so clever and smart.

2016-12-02 11:46

Fam Jenny

If you go to Celu island in Phiippines,you can see real poverty as children are begging in the cities and people don't own houses but sleeping in tents as squarters.Try India,Banglaesh,Pakistan,Southern America,African nations,you will notice the vast gap between the rich and the poor.In Hong Kong,Japan,Melbourne,Sdyney and even S'pore you are selling your whole life span of working life in exchange for a shelter/apartment over your head,it is worth it?Slog for a house lifelong,it is worth it.

2016-12-02 12:00

Lk036

I foresee this umno ppl, their mind n thinking is unpredictable. No logic n practical at all. Can go any direction. Now look like a disease and too too extreme.

2016-12-02 12:57

Lk036

Look like the country going to the drain. By the time still not sure they will open the mind. Someone told that only can change when they have nothing to eat,

2016-12-02 13:00

Fam Jenny

When they lose their jobs going to the streets to beg,then the stupid will realise they don't benefit at all but supporting the greed of a handful of persons who use policies to manipulate them for their own benefits.But I think it won't reach that stage bcos they are very educated lot who are not easily manipulated and can see through their plots and scheming.Malaysians are the smart lot,cheers!

2016-12-02 13:17

Fam Jenny

Correction:....is it worth it?Slog for a house lifelong,is it worth it?

2016-12-02 13:26

probability

this religion is willing to die for wor? You dont know about syria...?
cancer to the society...may be Malaysia got infected.

Posted by Lk036 > Dec 2, 2016 01:00 PM | Report Abuse

Look like the country going to the drain. By the time still not sure they will open the mind. Someone told that only can change when they have nothing to eat,

2016-12-02 13:28

Fam Jenny

Dear Malaysians,be happy with your lives afterll we are far better than 40 years ago with many good universities,free hospitals,cars,highways,lrt and good housing.
But sad bcos with many cyber thieves,criminals running around scot free,not arrested yet.

2016-12-02 13:40

Fam Jenny

Also hackers coming to my website to stop me from giving comments and divert incoming calls to theirs,grab my real estate clients.This is the works of some crooks in real estate business.

2016-12-02 14:07

Fam Jenny

These hackers must be arrested and jailed for causing a lot of problems to people.

2016-12-02 16:34

helloworld123

let the economy collapse! i like to see the end of it. hehe.

2016-12-03 19:32

ipomember

been depreciated to 4.44 against usd still doesnt consider crashing? What are their definition of crashing?

2016-12-06 12:27

pharker

What a twisted logic way to compare

Many many years ago...we are better than s. korea, spore...so lets be comfortable

Now, we are still better than..... phillipines, African nations, so don't complain, there are still countries worse than us

If we dun do something and keep comfort that there are always countries worse than us....SOON n very soon, there will be no country to compare that are are worse than us

The world is moving at a very fast pace..you either keep up with it ..or be left behind

2016-12-06 14:28

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