Singapore's December consumer prices rose a seasonally adjusted 0.5% from November, taking annual inflation in the republic to over a 25-year high on rising food and transport costs. From a year earlier, prices rose 4.4% from the 25-year high figure of 4.2% hit in November, the Department of Statistics said in a statement on Wednesday [23 Jan 2008].
Economists expect Singapore to maintain its policy of a gradual and modest appreciation of the Singapore dollar to tame inflation. Most analysts expect inflation in Singapore to climb in the coming months to a near three-decade high of 5% as surging costs for housing, transport, food and electricity tariffs push up consumer prices.
- We are heading straight into the classic stagflation scenario of slowing economic growth and rising inflation. Brace for more "surprises" as economic growth continues to slow "unexpectedly" while inflation continues to rise, also "unexpectedly".