Singapore shares strengthened on Tuesday, amid gains in most Southeast Asian markets, after its core inflation hit a more than two-year low, raising hopes of an easing monetary policy by its central bank in October.
Official data showed that Singapore's core inflation gauge in June rose 1.2% from a year earlier, as expected by a Reuters poll. This was the lowest print since March 2017 when core inflation rate grew at the same pace.
The Singapore benchmark rose over 0.4%.
With the weakness in export data last week and the recent inflation figures, chances of a 50 bp interest-rate cut at the scheduled October review are all but confirmed, though an earlier intra-meeting move cannot be ruled out, ANZ research said in a note.
Shares of utilities provider Sembcorp Industries Ltd firmed 3.3%.
Meanwhile, other markets in the pack rose on hopes of similar policy action by US and European central banks.
The European Central bank and the US Federal Reserve are due to hold meetings in the upcoming weeks, with chances of the Fed delivering a 25 bp cut mostly affirmed.
The ECB is more likely to utilise the review on Thursday to set the stage for cuts in the future, according to economists polled by Reuters.
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