The ringgit opened lower against the US dollar today as investors shifted their focus to the greenback, a dealer said.

At 9am, the local unit was traded at RM4.2195/2245 against the greenback from RM4.1920/1990 yesterday.

The dealer said the fall in global crude oil prices dampened sentiment for the local note.

The price of benchmark Brent crude slipped to below US$34 a barrel.

The ringgit also traded lower against other major currencies except for the British pound.

It slid against the Singapore dollar to RM3.0004/0061 from Tuesday's RM2.9830/9884, weakened against the yen to RM3.7657/7712 from RM3.7369/7444 and depreciated vis-a-vis the euro to RM4.6431/6499 from RM4.6246/6332.

The local unit, however, appreciated against the British pound to RM5.9090/9185 from RM5.9191/9307

- Bernama