Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Russian Stocks End Mixed as MOEX Index Closes Flat Amid Commodity Strength 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Singapore credit growth continued to pick up in January driven by business loans rather than consumer loans. It registered at 2.9 percent y/y, up from 1.1 percent in the previous month and the trough of -2.7 percent in June 2016.
Most importantly, the uptick was driven. Business-related loan growth reported the first positive reading of 2.8 percent after being stuck in the negative territory for the past sixteen months, while consumer loan growth remained steady at 3.1 percent, reported DBS Bank in its research note.
The turnaround in business loan growth reflects the improvement in business confidence amid a relatively more sanguine economic outlook. In this regard, barring any sudden spike up in interest rates, we expect business loan growth to continue to strengthen along with the steadily improving business climate in the coming months, they added.
The DBS Bank in its research note mentioned that the existing macro-prudential measures remain in place and household leverages are still high. These two factors will likely continue to weigh down on consumer loan growth, which may not be a bad thing given the sluggish labour market at present.
