MAS further tightens Singdollar policy

Singapore

THE Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is slightly increasing the pace of the Singapore dollar's appreciation in keeping with a "modest and gradual appreciation path... that will ensure medium-term price stability", in the second consecutive tightening at its half-yearly policy review.

The width of the policy band and the level at which it is centred will be unchanged.

In its October monetary policy statement on Friday morning, the central bank said the move comes as the Singapore economy "is likely to remain on its steady expansion path in the quarters ahead, keeping output slightly above potential".

It expects 2018 economic growth to land within the upper ha…