EMERGING MARKETS-Singapore dollar gains after c.bank holds fire, most Asian currencies rise

  • 4/14/2021
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* Singapore c.bank keeps monetary policy settings unchanged * S. Korean won firms 0.7% * Bank of Korea to keep rates steady - Reuters poll By Sameer Manekar April 14 (Reuters) - Singapore"s dollar firmed on Wednesday after the central bank, encouraged by better-than-expected economic growth, stood pat on monetary policy, while most emerging Asian currencies gained as investors were unalarmed by higher than expected U.S. inflation. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which lets the local dollar rise or fall against currencies of its main trading partners within an undisclosed band, left its accommodative policy stance unchanged, as expected. Preliminary data released on Wednesday showed Singapore"s economy unexpectedly grew 0.2% year on year in the first quarter, and the MAS said it expects growth to exceed the upper end official forecast range of 4-6%. That pushed the Singapore dollar up as much as 0.3% to S$1.3370, its highest in a nearly six weeks. "Confirmation that the MAS has an improved outlook has raised the possibility that it could undo some of the easing - perhaps as soon as October - if economic conditions strengthen," analysts at Singapore bank DBS said. "All in, this puts downward pressure on SGD rates relative to USD rates. In level terms, however, we still see SGD rates tracking USD rates broadly higher over the medium term." Equities in the city-state were down 0.2%, losing some ground gained in the previous session. The U.S. dollar fell to a three-week low after data showed U.S. consumer prices gained slightly more than expected in March, which investors read as a transitory rise rather than a sign of an overheating economy. Fears about accelerating inflation have supported gains in U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar this year. The South Korean won strengthened as much as 0.7% to mark its best day in more than a week, while the Malaysian ringgit and the Philippine peso rose 0.2% each. South Korean stocks traded flat ahead of a central bank meeting on Thursday where the Bank of Korea is expected to keep its interest rates unchanged, according to a Reuters poll. Shares in Jakarta gained after three consecutive days of losses, jumping as much as 1.2% on their best day in nearly three weeks. Meanwhile, a Reuters poll showed Indonesia"s trade surplus narrowed in March on rising imports. Markets in India and Thailand were closed for a holiday. HIGHLIGHTS: ** S. Korea"s most liquid 3-year treasury bond yield fell 2.6 basis points to 1.113% ** Singapore"s Grab to go public in world"s biggest $40 bln SPAC merger ** India"s second wave of coronavirus poses credit-negative threat - Moody"s Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0400 GMT COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDE STOCK STOCK DAILY YTD X S S YTD % % DAILY % % Japan +0.15 -5.1 <.N2 -0.43 7.89 9 25> China 8 EC> India 0.00 -2.6 <.NS 0.00 3.74 6 EI> Indones +0.00 -3.8 <.JK 1.10 0.22 ia 4 SE> Malaysi +0.12 -2.6 <.KL -0.10 -1.91 a 2 SE> Philipp +0.17 -0.9 <.PS 0.03 -9.53 ines 7 I> S.Korea 2 11> Singapo +0.28 -1.2 <.ST -0.27 11.79 re 3 I> Taiwan +0.05 +0.1 <.TW -0.86 13.22 2 II> Thailan 0.00 -4.8 <.SE 0.00 6.33 d 6 TI> (Reporting by Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

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