1. Malaysian Ringgit Kim Adragna Tracy Bush Maya Kushner Alicja Loveday

2. Where is Malaysia?

3. Brief History of the Ringgit Asian Financial Crisis 1997 –Ringgit pegged at RM3.8/USD –July 21, 2005: Highly managed float –Bank of Negara Current Exchange Rate: RM3.6588/USD Forecasted to strengthen short and long term Country Risk Assessment –CPI: 5.1

4. Technical Analysis

5. Short term based analysis forecasting –I week into the future Using the three models –Market Momentum Analysis –Moving Average Rules –Bollinger Band Analysis Data shows a strengthening currency –I week forecast at about RM3.660/USD

6. Market Momentum Analysis Malaysian Ringgit (MYR): Last 1year (Inverted Scale)

7. Market Momentum Analysis Malaysian Ringgit (MYR): Last 91 days (Inverted Scale)

8. Market Momentum Analysis Malaysian Ringgit (MYR): Last 31 Days, (Inverted Scale)

9. Moving Average Rate Moving Average Rules (variations of market momentum) MYR Spot to 180-day moving Average (Inverted Scale) Over Last 12 months

10. Bollinger Band Analysis MYR Bollinger Bands over last 6 months (90-day Average green line) (Inverted scale) PACIFIC Exchange Rate Service

11. Bollinger Band Analysis MYR Bollinger Band over last 3 months (90 days Average green line) (Inverted Scale) PACIFIC Exchange Rate Service (inverted scale)

12. Non-Parity Models Asset Choice Model & Balance of Payments Model

13. Central Bank Officials “The Islamic banking industry, that consists of both dedicated Islamic banks and Islamic banking schemes in the conventional banks, continues to show commendable performance with profitability and assets surpassing for the first time the threshold of RM1 billion and RM100 billion respectively at the end of 2005. The industry has become a major contributor to the overall economic growth, with assets equivalent to nearly 25% of the country's gross national product.” ~Zamani Abdul Ghani~ Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia 7 April 2006

14. Central Bank Officials “…Malaysia's growth prospects are expected to strengthen in 2006. The favorable external demand would reinforce the sustained expansion in domestic demand, which is expected to be positive for both real income and employment generation…real private investment is forecast to expand…As a result of both supportive external and domestic demand, the economy is expected to register improved performance in 2006.” ~Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz~ Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia~ 17 February 2006

15. Central Bank Officials “For Malaysia, the focus of policy thrusts in 2006 would be to build on the gains of 2005, ensuring fundamentals are strengthened and the flexibility of the economy is further enhanced. In this respect, the Central Bank will determine the interest rate policy to provide a sound environment for sustainable performance of the economy. Macroeconomic policy would thus continue to stress growth in an environment of price stability…Further efforts will therefore be undertaken to ensure that the economic and financial structures and systems are conducive for the building of a dynamic, resilient and flexible economy.” ~Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz~ Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia~ 17 February 2006

16. Asset Choice Model

18. Asset Choice Model (Equity Market Performance)

20. Balance of Payments ($US billion)

21. Parity Models Purchasing Power Parity & International Fisher Effect

22. Relative PPP: Calculation For currency quoted in European terms: Future spot rate = 3.78 (1+.037) 5 /(1+.038) 5 Future Spot rate = 3.761827 Spot Rate: USD/RYMR3.78 Annual Inflation Rate: U.S.3.8 % Annual Inflation Rate: Malaysia3.7%

23. Relative PPP: Analysis In recent years, the inflation rates of Malaysia and U.S. have been very close. Thus, the Relative PPP model, suggests that the Malaysian Ringgit will appreciate against the U.S. Dollar, but not very much and not very fast. Hence, according to this model, we recommend that companies that wanted to expand their operations into Malaysia do so now. The circumstances are favorable for that, because a stable exchange rate helps minimize economic and translation exposures, which are otherwise difficult to measure.

24. Absolute PPP: Calculation Weighted BasketThe Malaysian Ringgit is quoted in European Terms. Therefore, the PPP exchange rate = ringgit price/dollar price. Using this weighted basket, the exchange rate is R1.50 per $1. ItemUSDMYR 9Poster$224.91R153.00 15Dictionary$233.55R852.45 3Flowers$254.97R399.00 16Pizza$232.00R208.00 1Hotel$235.75R161.00 Average$236.24R354.69

25. Absolute PPP: Analysis The current exchange rate obtained from bloomberg.com is USD/MYR 3.6588. Using the formula: (spot rate – PPP rate)/spot rate = (3.6588 – 1.5014)/3.6588 = 0.5896 From this, we find that the Malaysian Ringgit is undervalued by about 59%. Since the currency is so grossly undervalued, it is reasonable to expect that the Ringgit will strengthen in the future. This conclusion is supported by looking at the trend of the exchange rate for the year 2006:

26. International Fisher Effect Strengthening over 5 year period

27. Implications Short & Long Term: Strengthening Ringgit –Highly managed, unlikely to change Company Manufacturing in Malaysia –Risk Transaction & Manufacturing Costs Company Selling to Malaysia –Benefit Hedge Fund –Benefit: Long Position –Risk: Short Position

28. Recommendations Company Manufacturing in Malaysia –30 Day Money Market Hedge –Long Term Liabilities: Forward Long Contract Company Selling in Malaysia –Benefits in strengthening Ringgit Hedge Fund –Open Long Position –Options not recommended