KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Thursday as renewed geopolitical tensions in West Asia weighed on investor sentiment. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 5.97 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 1,677.64 from Wednesday's close of 1,683.61. The benchmark index opened 2.62 points lower at 1,680.99, and moved between 1,676.18 and 1,683.80 throughout the session. However, market breadth was slightly positive, with gainers leading losers 533 to 504, while 547 counters were unchanged, 1,112 untraded, and 12 suspended. Turnover slipped to 2.64 billion units valued at RM2.19 billion from 2.96 billion units valued at RM2.18 billion on Wednesday.
Slowing inflation in Singapore has created some room for the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to ease monetary policy in January, but analysts believe the central bank may delay any action until later in 2025 to better assess the impact of US President-elect Donald Trump's policies.
Key Highlights
Inflation Outlook
- November core inflation is expected to hold steady at 2.1%, a three-year low, according to analysts in a Reuters poll.
- MAS has forecast core inflation at around 2% for Q4 2024, with DBS Bank predicting it to average 1.8% in 2025.
Monetary Policy Approach
- Singapore uses the Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate (S$NEER) to manage policy, adjusting the slope, midpoint, or width of the currency band.
- While some analysts expect an easing at the January review, a MAS survey showed the number of economists anticipating a reduction in the S$NEER slope dropped from 50% to one-third.
Analyst Perspectives
- DBS Bank: MAS is unlikely to ease in January and may wait to see Trump's policies in action.
- "Chances are MAS will mirror the Fed in basing decisions on actual policies rather than speculation," said DBS economist Chua Han Teng.
- Moody’s Analytics: MAS may wait for core inflation to fall below 2% for a few months before easing, giving time to assess global trade disruptions from US tariffs.
- Maybank: MAS could reduce the slope in January, as lower import prices from Trump’s tariffs on China may lead to a deflationary shock and further ease inflation.
Growth Projections
- Maybank’s Chua Hak Bin: Expects Singapore’s growth to slow to 2.6% in 2025 from 3.6% in 2024 amid trade flow disruptions.
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