KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): Ringgit halts four days of losses, consolidating as traders await developments on U.S. trade protectionism and Syria.
* USD/MYR steady at 3.8865
** Support 3.8465, 3.8000, 3.7310; resistance 3.9000, 3.9290, 3.9313
** Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index -0.1%; Brent crude +0.2% to $71.74
* USD/MYR is expected to remain in its one-month trading range of 3.8570-3.9270, says Angus Salim Amran, head of financial markets at RHB Investment Bank in Kuala Lumpur
** Heightened trade and geopolitical risks will remain an overriding influence on the ringgit
* MYR is among the EM FX most exposed to global volatility: Standard Chartered
* An auction of 2023 notes due this month may top RM4 billion as the offering will be the new 5-year benchmark bond, CIMB strategists including Nik Mukharriz wrote in note Monday
** Upcoming 5-year auction is expected to see strong demand at 3.70%-3.75%
** NOTE: Yield on govt bonds due March 2022 rose 3bps to 3.63% Monday
* Authorities started intra-day short-selling of equities for all investors from Monday as part of a strategy to boost market liquidity: stock exchange
* CPI +1.6% in March y/y vs +1.4% in February: Bloomberg survey before data due Wednesday