Asia FX, stocks rise; Singapore dollar dips after c.bank's surprise hold

THE Singapore dollar fell on Friday, while most Asian currencies and shares rose after the city-state's central bank unexpectedly left its monetary policy settings unchanged, raising hopes that the likely next U.S. rate hikes would be the last this cycle.

The Singapore dollar weakened 0.2%, hitting its lowest since Feb. 9. However, currencies across the region trended higher, with the Malaysian ringgit posting its fifth consecutive weekly gain, as the U.S. dollar tumbled to a one-year low.