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Malaysia rate bets fuel ringgit gains as sceptics point to polls

PM Najib may be reluctant to have the nation's first rate hike since 2014 occur before a poll

Published Thu, Nov 23, 2017 · 09:50 PM

Kuala Lumpur

INVESTORS taking a bet on the Malaysian ringgit need to first guess when Prime Minister Najib Razak will call a general election.

For bulls, Bank Negara Malaysia's hawkish tilt this month and higher crude prices for the net energy-exporting nation are reasons to be optimistic. Others, including National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB), say that the election may complicate the timing for a rate hike, damping a key driver for the ringgit.

"The US dollar has extended losses a…