Australia and New Zealand Bank: Monetary Authority of Singapore may become the first central bank in the region to tighten policy.

Khoon Goh of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) reports that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is expected to be the first central bank in the region to tighten its policies by 2026. He anticipates that this could happen as early as July. He said, "While the growth prospects for 2026 are uncertain, the risk balance slightly tilts towards the upside." He also predicts that the core inflation of MAS has bottomed out and will rise in 2026. Goh noted that MAS has previously been the first in the region to tighten policies during other periods, such as after the global financial crisis in 2010 or during the recovery period after the pandemic in 2021, in response to inflation pressures. He said, "By making changes early, MAS can avoid falling behind the curve and later having to take more actions."