Singapore GDP growth to ease in Q1, MAS set to tighten

File pic - AP Photo/Yong Teck Lim

SINGAPORE: Singapore's economy likely expanded at a slower pace in the first quarter, but is expected to stay on its recovery path this year as border controls are relaxed further, giving the central bank room to tighten monetary policy to tackle inflation.

Advance data on Thursday is seen showing gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 3.8% in January-March from a year ago, according to the median forecast of 15 economists in a Reuters poll, as the manufacturing sector comes off a high base and amid travel curbs to curb a COVID-19 outbreak driven by Omicron.