Additionally, market strategists are also expecting the 10-year US bond yields to stay high for longer. The chart of the US and Singapore 10-year bond yields shows that despite their divergence in absolute levels since late 2022, their trends are similar. After rising from their 2021 lows, risk-free rates may have reached a plateau of sorts since October last year, at elevated levels.
Global market watchers are waiting for signals from the US Federal Reserve Board on prospects of a rate cut in the Federal Funds Rate but Fed officials appear ambivalent to indicate any rate cut.
The three local banks have tempered expectations and are expecting two rate cuts by the Federal Reserve as a “base” case scenario, which is in the absence of further inflationary data and a high-for-longer scenario. “We are currently forecasting two rate cuts, so we will get some tailwinds compared to our previous guidance, probably by $100 million,” says Piyush Gupta, group CEO of DBS Group Holdings, on May 2 during a results briefing.
