Singapore may act to stall rising home prices

Price control: DBS says possible steps include a tweak in additional buyer stamp duties and tightening of mortgage terms. ─ Bloomberg

SINGAPORE: Singapore may be considering another round of measures to cool residential prices, according to market analysts, who see recent ministerial remarks as a signal for the possible move.

Comments made by the city-state’s deputy prime minister indicate the government is keeping a close watch on property prices, Krishna Guha, an analyst at Jefferies Financial Group Inc, wrote in a note. Possible steps could include a tweak in additional buyer stamp duties, tightening of mortgage terms and an adjustment in average minimum home sizes for new developments, according to DBS Group Holdings Ltd.