Asian currencies traded mixed against the US dollar in early Monday trade, with the Thai baht and Malaysian ringgit emerging as the top performers amid subdued regional moves and cautious dollar positioning.
The Thai baht strengthened to 31.393 per dollar from 31.48 in the previous session, marking a gain of around 0.28%. The Malaysian ringgit posted the strongest move in the region, rising to 3.925 per dollar from 3.945, reflecting a gain of about 0.51%.
The Japanese yen also edged higher, with the dollar slipping to 156.72 yen from 157.20 previously, as markets digested political developments in Japan and adjusted positioning ahead of key US economic data. Similarly, the Taiwan dollar firmed modestly to 31.605 per dollar compared with 31.678 in the prior session.
In contrast, the South Korean won weakened slightly, with the dollar rising to 1,465.7 won from 1,463, marking a decline of around 0.18%. The Singapore dollar traded marginally softer at 1.271 per dollar, compared with 1.2707 previously.
Other regional currencies showed limited movement. The Philippine peso strengthened modestly to 58.468 per dollar from 58.554, while the Indonesian rupiah was largely unchanged at 16,860 per dollar. The Indian rupee remained flat at 90.655 against the greenback.
Overall, Asian foreign exchange markets remained range-bound, with selective strength in the baht and ringgit standing out amid cautious sentiment ahead of upcoming US macroeconomic releases and evolving global risk cues.
