Monetary policy set to hold as inflation persists - Figures in Singapore show core gauge rising to 3.3% in December

Price pressures: A vegetable vendor waits for customers at a market in Singapore. The country’s prices for fuel and food in December surpassed analysts’ estimates. — AFP

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s central bank will likely keep its tight monetary policy settings for a third straight review while retaining its sharp focus on still-elevated inflation.

All 19 economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which uses the exchange rate rather than interest rates to stabilise prices, to maintain its overall policy settings today.