Markets wait on trade talk, Fed updates

THE coming week will give investors plenty to think about, with new developments expected on both the local and international fronts.

In Singapore, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will deliver the highly anticipated Budget 2019 speech this afternoon. Analysts are expecting an expansionary budget, given a projected surplus for FY2018 and the possibility of a general election in the near term.

Non-oil domestic export (NODX) and balance of trade numbers are due early today, and will offer insight into how heavily trade tensions are impacting the local economy. According to Bloomberg estimates, NODX growth is expected to improve to 6.3 per cent month-on-month or 1.8 per cent year-on-year, reversing from declines of 5.7 per cent month-on-month and 8.5 per cent year-on-year in December.