Short positions in the Malaysian ringgit rose further in the first week of 2015 on a combination of sliding oil prices, broad risk aversion and strong US dollar, a Reuters poll found on Thursday. The ringgitt fell to fresh 5-1/2-year lows earlier this week. It was Asia's worst performer in 2014 and has also been the most affected among Asia's commodity exporters by the sustained drop in oil and commodity prices.
The poll showed market participants were long US dollar against most Asian currencies, even reversing their December long positions in the Philippine peso.
The Indian rupee was the sole exception, with investors building up a small long position in that currency at the start of 2015.
The Reuters survey is focused on what analysts believe are the current market positions in nine Asian emerging market currencies: the Chinese yuan, South Korean won, Singapore dollar, Indonesian rupiah, Taiwan dollar, Indian rupee , Philippine peso, Malaysian ringgit and the Thai baht. The poll uses estimates of net long or short positions on a scale of minus 3 to plus 3.
A score of plus 3 indicates the market is significantly long US dollars. The figures included positions held through non-deliverable forwards (NDFs).
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