BORROWING COSTS
Interest rates in Singapore have risen less than in other countries, reflecting strong fiscal fundamentals that have kept demand for Singapore Government Securities healthy, Monetary Authority of Singapore deputy chairman Chee Hong Tat said.
Mr Chee, who is also national development minister, was responding to a question on how sustained rises in US Treasury yields have affected Singapore’s borrowing costs and credit availability.
He said borrowing costs remain broadly in line with historical levels. The 10-year Singapore Government Securities yield is at 2.5 per cent, against its 10-year average of about 2.2 per cent.
The three-month compounded Singapore Overnight Rate Average, a benchmark for domestic loans, is at 1.2 per cent, below its 10-year average of 1.5 per cent.
MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES
The Ministry of Manpower and its tripartite partners are studying how to encourage employers to offer healthcare benefits beyond statutory requirements, Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau said.
Such benefits include reimbursing medical expenses beyond consultation fees and providing paid sick leave without requiring a medical certificate.
About 30 per cent of employers surveyed by the ministry offered paid sick leave without a medical certificate in 2024, up from around 27 per cent in 2023.
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