KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar in early trade amid the likelihood of a US dollar weakness, a dealer said.

At 9.10am, the local currency traded at 4.0640/0680 compared with yesterday’s close of 4.0670/0700.

He said trade tensions on the US-China trade front could put a floor to the greenback’s decline in the near/medium term.

“The traders will now scrutinise every piece of incoming data, particularly regarding the inflation performance,” he added.

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The firmer oil price is viewed as positive for the local note, as at the time of writing, the International Brent futures was 0.42 per cent higher at US$67.09 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 0.87 per cent to US$59.33 per barrel.

Meanwhile, the ringgit traded mixed against a basket of other major currencies.

It declined against the Singapore dollar to 3.0113/0147 from yestertday’s 3.0106/0139 and fell versus the British pound to 5.3641/3714 from 5.3579/3634.

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The ringgit, however, appreciated against the Japanese Yen to 3.6878/6918 from 3.6896/6933 and improved versus the euro at 4.5996/6046 from 4.6030/6081. — Bernama