Weaker ringgit, rupiah can have unpleasant effects for Singapore

EPA

SINGAPORE: Shoppers dashing to Johor or Jakarta for some bargains will be cheering the free-falling ringgit and rupiah, but the weaker neighbouring currencies can have unpleasant knock-on effects for the Singaporean economy.

Not only does it mean fewer tourists from Malaysia and Indonesia coming here and spending big, but falling currencies usually also point to wider economic problems that can spell trouble for Singapore firms trading or investing in those places.