Kuala lumpur: The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar as global risk sentiment improved following signals from US President Donald Trump of a possible de-escalation in the West Asia conflict. According to BERNAMA News Agency, at 8.01 am, the local currency strengthened to 3.9200/9400 against the greenback from Thursday's close of 3.9330/9415. This development comes after markets in Malaysia were closed on March 20 and March 23 in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri. SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes noted that after Trump's recent actions, crude oil prices dropped nearly 10 percent, which helped ease financial pressures on oil importers like Malaysia. However, he cautioned that the market's reaction appears to be more of a release of risk premium rather than a full shift in conviction. Innes explained, "If markets truly believed in a durable de-escalation, we would have seen a much stronger and more sustained rally across risk assets and a deeper greenback selloff." Meanwhile, B ank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid highlighted the US Dollar Index's (DXY) fall by 0.7 percent to 98.95 after Trump extended the deadline for an attack on Iranian power plants by five days. This move was in response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which led to a "risk-on" mode in the markets. He pointed out that benchmark equity indices like the S and P 500 and Nasdaq rose by over one percent, while Brent crude oil prices declined by 11 percent to US$99.94 per barrel. Afzanizam added, "The local note is likely to react positively to such news, although the prevailing situation of the war in Iran engulfing the global economy is likely to keep market sentiments guarded." The ringgit, however, showed mixed performance against other major currencies. It eased against the Japanese yen, British pound, and euro, but appreciated against the Indonesian rupiah and Philippine peso. Conversely, it softened against the Singapore dollar and slipped versus the Thai baht.