Bullish ringgit bets hit 16-year high; bearish peso positions ease to two-year low

Feb 19 (Reuters) – Bullish bets on the Malaysian ringgit jumped to their strongest level in nearly 16 years, while bearish positions on the Philippine peso eased to a two-year low, the latest Reuters fortnightly positioning poll showed on Thursday. The contrast highlights shifting investor sentiment across Southeast Asia as markets reassess growth prospects, policy paths and capital flows. Long positions on the ringgit climbed to their highest since mid-April 2010, extending a rally that pushed the U.S. dollar/ringgit pair to around 3.89 earlier this month – its firmest level since January 2018. The currency has risen roughly 3% over…