SINGAPORE - Despite still-high borrowing costs and weaker earnings, businesses in Singapore have been able to service their debts, the central bank has found, adding that macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions are key hurdles ahead.its annual review of the corporate sector’s financial resilience
Corporates have also benefitted from financial conditions that have turned less restrictive as global interest rates ease, said MAS. Even so, corporate debt levels have stayed largely below pre-pandemic levels and firms have maintained healthy debt maturity profiles, said MAS.MAS also said that earnings are expected to improve in the second half of 2024, which reflects the pick up in economic growth in Q3 2024. The Singapore economyIt added that there has been some pick up in firms’ foreign currency borrowings but noted that the risks are limited.
“Stress tests show that most firms still have adequate buffers to manage unfavourable earnings and interest rate shifts that could arise from inflationary shocks, negative growth surprises, trade frictions or an escalation in geopolitical tensions,” it added. MAS said banks in Singapore are well-positioned to manage challenges to the macro financial outlook from an uncertain political and economic environment.Banks here also have adequate precautionary buffers to guard against any credit quality decline.
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