Business Daily Media

Men's Weekly

.

Octa forecast: OPR hike will likely be on hold due to falling inflation

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach - 31 October 2023 - Octa analyses the likelihood of the BNM keeping the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) unchanged at 3% at the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on 1 – 2 November.

Learn about the potential impact on the Malaysian ringgit.

Key Takeaways

  • Headline inflation in Malaysia declined to 1.9% in September.
  • The Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) is unlikely to be raised at the next meeting, given the recent decline in headline inflation to below 2%.
  • The pause in the OPR change will continue to hurt the ringgit, and the probability of USDMYR rising above 5.0000 remains high.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will meet on 1 – 2 November to decide on monetary policy. An overnight policy rate (OPR) increase may no longer be relevant, given the recent decline in headline inflation.

Notably, Malaysia's current OPR currently stands at 3%, while Malaysia's headline inflation, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), eased to a 1.9% increase in September 2023, the lowest over the last two and a half years. The inflation rate for September 2023 was slightly below the consensus forecast of economists polled by Reuters and Bloomberg, at 2.2% and 2.1%, respectively. The forecast number considers significant external and internal risks to domestic inflation that should be monitored closely in the near term, namely rising energy prices and the ringgit falling.

'In a low inflation environment, the decision to change the OPR is no longer relevant', said Kar Yong Ang, the Octa financial market analyst. 'This situation will continue to hurt the ringgit, which may eventually provoke a return to the monetary tightening strategy', he added.

The ringgit depreciation is also affected by such factors as expectations that the U.S. federal funds rate remains high without clear signals of its decline. In addition, Chinese economic indicators were weaker than expected, and the easing of the People's Bank of China's monetary policy negatively impacted investor sentiment in the region. The probability of USDMYR growth above 5.0000 remains high.
Hashtag: #Octa

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Octa

is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services already utilised by clients from 180 countries with more than 42 million trading accounts. Free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools they provide help clients reach their investment goals.

The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.

News from Asia

Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Releases Strategic Roadmap for ASEAN's 5G-AI Transformation

New Research Reveals US$130 Billion Economic Opportunity and Outlines Policy Framework to Accelerate Regional Digital Leadership by 2030SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 22 July 2025 - The Le...

DFI Retail Group Holdings Limited Half-Year Results For The Six Months Ended 30 June 2025 And Announcement Of Special Dividend

Highlights 39% underlying earnings growth Increased contributions from associates, Health & Beauty and Food Health & Beauty delivered strong like-for-like (LFL...

HeyMax Acquires Hong Kong’s krip to Accelerate Regional Expansion into Loyalty and Rewards Market

HeyMax’s first acquisition fast-tracks its regional expansion, bringing over 6,000 credit card deals offered by over 3,000 merchants, and personalized loyalty experiences to consumers in Hong Kong ...

CUHK Faculty of Engineering: Advancing Innovation Through Research Excellence and Global Collaboration

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - The Faculty of Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) continues to strengthen its position in global engineering educat...

Adecco Singapore Marks 40 Years of Enabling Talent and Business Growth

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - Adecco Singapore has officially commemorated its 40th anniversary with a stakeholder event held at the National Gallery Singapore. The occasion...

Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow 2025 Youth Innovation Competition is Now On

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2025, the highly-anticipated youth innovation competition, is back for its ninth edition in Singapore! As the natio...

Jollibee Group Evolves its Corporate Brand to Help Power Global Growth

Brand update brings to life its global purpose and positioning as a unified group of brandsMANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - The Jollibee Group, one of the world's fas...

AECOM to enhance mobility across the Greater Bay Area by delivering the Hong Kong Section of Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu-Qianhai)

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, today announced that its joint venture with AtkinsRéalis has been awarded the consultancy ...

OCBC Hong Kong Unveils New Brand Campaign

Connected to “As One Group, OCBC Enables Aspiration All Across ASEAN and Greater China” Demonstrating the Unwavering Commitment in Realising Customer’s Aspirations HONG KONG SAR - Media...

X.me Foundation Empowers Global Expansion of the X.me Social Media Platform

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 July 2025 - X.me (https://x.me) is a social media platform where users can freely express themselves, share content, engage, and interact while earnin...

Baby boomers are driving development feasibility leading to larger apartments

As residential developers continue to grapple with feasibility issues on apartment projects, the sector is struggling to deliver volumes of new st...

Hays launches FY25/26 Salary Guide: ‘Salary Paradox’ deepens as pay rises fail Australians

Rising dissatisfaction with pay, progression and perks is fuelling a new wave of career change in FY25/26, as Australians demand more from employe...

Australian Businesses Still Stuck in the AI Hype Cycle

Data Governance Failures, ROI Gaps and Unclear Strategy Slowing Progress Despite artificial intelligence (AI) dominating headlines and boardroom ag...

How to ensure your manufacturing business survives international tariff turmoil

Optimising your operations in FY2026 will help you combat the challenges of a volatile trading environment. Up, down, in out…Since the commence...

Why Apptio is Enhancing Visibility into AI and Hybrid Cloud

AI investments have become a strategic priority for business with the mindset that if you're not using AI, you're falling behind. But according to...

Beyond borders: Building a scalable strategy for international hiring

For many Australian businesses, growth increasingly depends on thinking beyond local borders.  As wage pressures rise, and specialised talent pool...

Sell by LayBy