Emerging FX-Singapore dollar, ringgit rise despite oil fears

SINGAPORE, July 3 (Reuters) - The Singapore dollar rose on
Thursday on views the authorities would keep it strong to fight
inflation, while most Asian currencies moved in narrow ranges.

Investor sentiment remained cautious as oil prices CLc1
rose to a fresh record high above $144 per barrel.

The Singapore dollar SGD= rose as far as 1.3575 per U.S.
dollar, up a fifth of a percent from late Asian trade on
Wednesday.

"The Singapore dollar is fundamentally strong, a favourite
currency for real money," said a trader in Singapore.

Singapore's central bank is widely expected to keep its
bias of letting the currency rise steadily when it reviews
policy in October, but refrain from tightening further.

The Malaysian ringgit MYR= rose a fifth of a percent to
3.2645, and traders said the currency was headed towards lower
levels of 3.3 against the dollar this month due to concerns
over oil-push inflation and an unclear interest rate outlook.

The Thai baht THB=TH crawled up by 0.1 percent but
managed to hit a 1-1/2-week high of 33.33 per dollar, and
traders said authorities would probably not intervene if the
currency continued to trade within a limited range.

"I think the baht should move in a narrow range today, and
if it still continues to do so, the central bank will not come
in," a Bangkok-based trader said.
Traders said the central bank had been suspected of selling
dollars to support the Thai currency earlier in the week.

The Chinese central bank set the yuan mid-point at 6.8529,
the highest level since the currency's revaluation in July
2005, and the yuan CNY=CFXS failed to travel far from its
previous close of 6.8530 per dollar.

Record-breaking oil prices erased gains for the South
Korean won KRW=, which rose to a 1-week high at 1,031 per
dollar due to expectations of possible intervention by the
authorities after an official's comments.

The won later drifted as low as 1,038.1 per dollar amid
jitters over high oil prices.
CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR
Change on the day at 0237 GMT
Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move
Japan yen 106.08 106.21 +0.12
Sing dlr 1.3571 1.3606 +0.26
Taiwan dlr 30.390 30.372 -0.06
Korean won 1037.00 1035.00 -0.19
Baht 33.34 33.37 +0.09
Peso 45.26 45.20 -0.13
Rupiah 9215.00 9220.00 +0.05
Rupee 43.16 43.16 +0.00
Ringgit 3.2650 3.2720 +0.21
Yuan 6.8528 6.8530 +0.00
Change so far in 2008
Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move
Japan yen 106.08 111.33 +4.95
Sing dlr 1.3571 1.4382 +5.98
Taiwan dlr 30.390 32.443 +6.76
Korean won 1037.00 935.70 -9.77
Baht 33.34 33.68 +1.02
Peso 44.45 41.28 -7.13
Rupiah 9215.00 9390.00 +1.90
Rupee 43.16 39.41 -8.69
Ringgit 3.2650 3.3050 +1.23
Yuan 6.8528 7.3041 +6.59

(Reporting by Melissa Chia; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)