But market watchers warn that the Singapore dollar’s strength against the greenback could cut both ways for companies here.

On a year-on-year basis, retail sales grew 1.1 per cent, against the previous month’s 3.5 per cent fall, according to figures released by the Singapore Department of Statistics on May 5.

Singapore’s currency was up 0.6 per cent to 1.292 per US dollar as at 5.02pm local time. This brought its advance to date in 2025 to 5.3 per cent.

The weakening growth outlook will, however, keep inflation – already at a four-year low – modest, with both core and all-items inflation averaging between 0.5 per cent and 1.5 per cent in 2025.

He had a “productive” virtual meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on April 25 to discuss bilateral economic and business ties.

Meanwhile, prices in the landed private property segment stabilised, gaining 0.4 per cent in the first quarter, compared with a 0.1 per cent drop in the previous quarter.

Its real GDP growth forecast for Singapore is now 2 per cent for 2025, from 4.4 per cent achieved in 2024. Its previous forecast for 2025, released in October 2024, was 2.5 per cent.

This marked a decline from the 2.5 per cent cut-off yield offered in the previous six-month auction that closed on Apr 10. 

Overall – or headline – inflation remained unchanged at 0.9 per cent year on year in March, due to higher private transport inflation which offset the fall in core inflation.

More than half – or 52 per cent of the respondents – also said they believe they need more than S$1 million to achieve financial independence.

Under the Homeowner Job Support (HJS) pilot programme, the Housing Board will also suspend mortgage interest for home owners in mortgage arrears for one year.ccccc

Half – or S$250 – of the vouchers can be used in supermarkets, with the other half at participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants,