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Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Singapore shares down for fourth session; STI dips 0.2%
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox In Q2, total employment rose by 8,400, based on advance figures released by the Ministry of Manpower on July 30. SINGAPORE - Local stocks slipped for the fourth straight session on July 30, logging their longest losing streak in five weeks, as second-quarter employment growth slowed from the same period a year ago. In Q2, total employment rose by 8,400, based on advance figures released by the Ministry of Manpower on July 30. This is below the 11,300 increase in the year-ago quarter, as the ministry noted continued signs of softening in some outward-oriented sectors. DBS senior economist Chua Han Teng warned that labour market resilience may be tested in the second half of the year, as demand from trade-exposed sectors is likely to soften. In a separate announcement, the Monetary Authority of Singapore kept monetary policy settings unchanged at its quarterly policy meeting, after two consecutive quarters of easing. But the central bank cautioned that the momentum in global growth 'should moderate' over the rest of 2025, as front-loading activity dissipates and previously delayed tariffs are implemented. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.2 per cent or 10 points to end at 4,219.41. Across the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers 342 to 222, with around 1.8 billion securities worth $2.1 billion changing hands. Singapore Airlines was the biggest decliner on the STI, falling almost 2 per cent or $0.14 to $6.90. Yangzijiang Shipbuilding was the top blue-chip gainer, climbing 3.6 per cent or $0.09 to $2.62. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Water supply issues during Toa Payoh blaze affected firefighting operations; SCDF investigating Singapore MHA to support HSA's crackdown on Kpod abusers and help in treatment of offenders: Shanmugam Singapore Bukit Panjang LRT to shut on 2 Sundays to facilitate tests; some upgrading work nearing completion Singapore Jail, fine for man linked to case involving 3 bank accounts that received over $680m in total Singapore Provision shop owner who raped 11-year-old gets more than 14 years' jail Business S'pore's economic resilience will face headwinds in second half of 2025 from tariffs, trade conflicts: MAS Business S'pore's Q2 total employment rises but infocomm, professional services see more job cuts Singapore Fewer than 1 in 5 people noticed suspicious items during MHA's social experiments The trio of local banks closed mostly lower. DBS dropped 0.7 per cent or $0.34 to $48.26, while OCBC was flat at $17.04. UOB shed 0.8 per cent or $0.28 to finish at $36.52. Across Asia, markets were mixed as investors continued to watch developments in US-China trade discussions, after the world's two largest economies agreed to more talks to extend their trade truce.
Business Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore shares down for fourth session; STI dips 0.2%
[SINGAPORE] Local stocks slipped for the fourth straight session on Wednesday (Jul 30), logging their longest losing streak in five weeks, as second-quarter employment growth slowed from the same period a year ago. In Q2, total employment rose by 8,400, based on advance figures released by the Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday. This is below the 11,300 increase in the year-ago quarter, as the ministry noted continued signs of softening in some outward-oriented sectors. DBS senior economist Chua Han Teng warned that labour market resilience may be tested in the second half of the year, as demand from trade-exposed sectors is likely to soften. In a separate announcement, the Monetary Authority of Singapore kept monetary policy settings unchanged at its quarterly policy meeting, after two consecutive quarters of easing. But the central bank cautioned that the momentum in global growth 'should moderate' over the rest of 2025, as front-loading activity dissipates and previously delayed tariffs are implemented. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.2 per cent or 10 points to end at 4,219.41. Across the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers 342 to 222, with around 1.8 billion securities worth S$2.1 billion changing hands. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Singapore Airlines was the biggest decliner on the STI, falling almost 2 per cent or S$0.14 to S$6.90. Yangzijiang Shipbuilding was the top blue-chip gainer, climbing 3.6 per cent or S$0.09 to S$2.62. The trio of local banks closed mostly lower. DBS dropped 0.7 per cent or S$0.34 to S$48.26, while OCBC was flat at S$17.04. UOB shed 0.8 per cent or S$0.28 to finish at S$36.52. Across Asia, markets were mixed as investors continued to watch developments in US-China trade discussions, after the world's two largest economies agreed to more talks to extend their trade truce. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was the biggest decliner in the region, falling 1.4 per cent amid a 13 per cent plunge in Li Auto. Japan's Nikkei 225 closed little changed, dipping 0.05 per cent, while South Korea's Kospi gained 0.7 per cent.
Business Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Singapore's core inflation holds steady at 0.6% in June, lower than forecasts
[SINGAPORE] Singapore's inflation remain unchanged at 0.6 per cent in June, as higher retail prices were offset by lower prices in all other categories, data from the Department of Statistics (Singstat) showed on Wednesday (Jul 23). The June figure was lower than private-sector economists' median forecast of 0.7 per cent, according to a poll by Bloomberg. DBS economist Chua Han Teng expects the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to adopt a 'wait and see approach' for the upcoming monetary policy meeting on Jul 30. This keeps the door open for a third easing in October, following the slight reductions of the Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate policy band slope in January and April. Headline inflation also held steady from a month ago at 0.8 per cent, but was lower than the survey's median estimate of 0.9 per cent. On a month-on-month basis, both core and headline inflation fell by 0.1 per cent. The Ministry of Trade and Industry and MAS stuck to their full-year core inflation forecast of 0.5 to 1.5 per cent for 2025. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Key CPI categories In June, the majority of consumer price index (CPI) categories experienced easing prices, except for private transport, as well as retail and other goods. Electricity and gas inflation fell further to 3.9 per cent, from a fall of 3.7 per cent, due to a larger decline in electricity prices. Food inflation eased slightly to 1 per cent, from 1.1 per cent previously, as the prices of food services and non-cooked food rose at a slower pace. Meanwhile, accommodation prices dipped to 1 per cent, from 1.1 per cent, due to a smaller increase in housing rents. Services inflation dropped to 0.7 per cent, from 1.1 per cent, due to a steeper decline in holiday expenses, airfares and the cost of information and communication services. In contrast, retail and other goods prices remained flat compared to a year ago, picking up pace from a fall of 1 per cent the previous month. Private transport prices also accelerated to 2 per cent, from 1.1 per cent the previous month, due to a steeper rise in car prices and slower pace of decline in petrol prices. Separately, data from Singstat also showed that headline CPI for general households rose by 0.9 per cent on the year for the first half of 2025, slower than the 1.8 per cent increase recorded in the second half of 2024. By household income group, headline inflation for the lowest 20 per cent, middle 60 per cent and highest 20 per cent income groups came in at 0.8 per cent, 0.8 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively. This was lower than all the respective rates in the second half of last year.
Malay Mail
17-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Singapore beats export expectations with 13pc rise annually in June, driven by electronics and gold
SINGAPORE, July 17 — Singapore's non-oil domestic exports rose 13.0 per cent in June from the same month a year earlier, government data showed today, outpacing analysts' estimates as shipments of computers, integrated circuits and non-monetary gold rose significantly. The rise compared with a Reuters poll forecast for annual growth of 5.0 per cent, and followed a revised 3.9 per cent fall in May. Details of the month-on-month seasonally adjusted change in exports were not included in Enterprise Singapore's statement. Exports of electronic products such as integrated circuits and computers grew an annual 53.8 per cent and 17.5 per cent respectively, while non-electronic products such as non-monetary gold and specialised machinery grew by 211.9 per cent and 31.4 per cent respectively. Exports to Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea increased in annual terms in June, while shipments to Japan, Indonesia and the US decreased. DBS senior economist Chua Han Teng said that although Singapore's goods exports were resilient in the first half of the year, front-loading of shipments will be followed by a deceleration in trade and manufacturing production in the latter half of the year. For the first six months of 2025, non-oil domestic exports rose 5.2 per cent year-on-year. 'The city-state's external demand will likely face downward pressures, due to still-high global trade frictions and continued uncertainty surrounding US tariffs, such as the potential imposition of US sectoral tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceutical goods,' he said. US President Donald Trump has notified some countries that tariffs of about 20 per cent to 50 per cent that will kick in from August 1, warning that any reprisals would draw a like-for-like response. South-east Asian neighbours Vietnam and Indonesia have both struck deals with Washington for tariffs below the levels Trump had initially threatened. Trade-dependent Singapore has not yet received a letter from the Trump administration this round, and its exports are still subject to the 10 per cent baseline tariff announced in April. Singapore's economy grew a faster-than-expected 4.3 per cent in the second quarter from a year earlier, preliminary data showed, despite a dimming outlook due to global economic uncertainty. Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong has warned that the implementation of US tariffs and a diminishing front-loading effect would weigh on growth over the next six to 12 months. Gan will visit the United States later this month to discuss tariff concessions for pharmaceutical exports as part of efforts to limit the economic impact of the trade war on Singapore. — Reuters
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Singapore's exports rise 13% anually in June, stronger than forecast
SINGAPORE, July 17 (Reuters) - Singapore's non-oil domestic exports rose 13.0% in June from the same month a year earlier, government data showed on Thursday, outpacing analysts' estimates as shipments of computers, integrated circuits and non-monetary gold rose significantly. The rise compared with a Reuters poll forecast for annual growth of 5.0%, and followed a revised 3.9% fall in May. Details of the month-on-month seasonally adjusted change in exports were not included in Enterprise Singapore's statement. Exports of electronic products such as integrated circuits and computers grew an annual 53.8% and 17.5% respectively, while non-electronic products such as non-monetary gold and specialised machinery grew by 211.9% and 31.4% respectively. Exports to Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea increased in annual terms in June, while shipments to Japan, Indonesia and the U.S. decreased. DBS senior economist Chua Han Teng said that although Singapore's goods exports were resilient in the first half of the year, front-loading of shipments will be followed by a deceleration in trade and manufacturing production in the latter half of the year. For the first six months of 2025, non-oil domestic exports rose 5.2% year-on-year. "The city-state's external demand will likely face downward pressures, due to still-high global trade frictions and continued uncertainty surrounding US tariffs, such as the potential imposition of U.S. sectoral tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceutical goods," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump has notified some countries that tariffs of about 20% to 50% that will kick in from August 1, warning that any reprisals would draw a like-for-like response. Southeast Asian neighbours Vietnam and Indonesia have both struck deals with Washington for tariffs below the levels Trump had initially threatened. Trade-dependent Singapore has not yet received a letter from the Trump administration this round, and its exports are still subject to the 10% baseline tariff announced in April. Singapore's economy grew a faster-than-expected 4.3% in the second quarter from a year earlier, preliminary data showed, despite a dimming outlook due to global economic uncertainty. Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong has warned that the implementation of U.S. tariffs and a diminishing front-loading effect would weigh on growth over the next six to 12 months. Gan will visit the United States later this month to discuss tariff concessions for pharmaceutical exports as part of efforts to limit the economic impact of the trade war on Singapore.
