SGD Rates: Eyeing buoyant USD rates
Wary of upside risks.
Group Research - Econs, Eugene Leow9 Jul 2026
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We continue to be wary about upside to shorter term SGD rates. Over the course of the past six quarters, market participants have gotten used to very flush SGD liquidity and persistent belief in USD weakness keeping frontend SGD rates low. In some ways, SGD rates appear decoupled from USD rates and the spread between the two has become even more stretched. There are some hints that risks to SGD rates may be biased to the upside. First, Fed hike expectations look sticky despite the fall in oil prices. Things are also compounded by renewed US-Iran tensions that sent oil prices spiking overnight.

Second, the USD is proving to be strong with the de-dollarisation theme falling off. Investors may rethink low SGD rates if USDSGD pushes through 1.30. Third, if the MAS holds off from re-steepening the SGD NEER slope again in July (our house call), there would be one less reason for SGD rates to push relatively lower. From a market perspective, the MAS bill cutoffs are already exhibiting a slight upward trend. We can also assess where the 1Y SORA is trading within our estimate of fair value. This rate has been trending towards the bottom of the range, but we are seeing a modest pickup in recent trading days. A return towards the midpoint of the fair value range is plausible. 



Eugene Leow

Senior Rates Strategist - G3 & Asia
eugeneleow@dbs.com



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