Malaysia rate bets fuel ringgit gains as sceptics point to polls

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.