SINGAPORE, Dec 31, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Singapore's economy beat forecasts to grow 4.8 percent in 2025, the prime minister said Wednesday, but he warned that sustaining that rate of expansion would be "difficult" due to unpredictable global trade. The wealthy Southeast Asian nation is heavily reliant on international trade and is vulnerable to any global slowdown induced by the tariffs. He said the global economy turned out to be more resilient than anticipated and US tariffs were imposed at lower levels than feared. "We will face more obstacles to growth and inflationary pressures may intensify... as a small and open economy, Singapore cannot fully shield ourselves from these headwinds." Singapore has long depended on the open global trading system to power its growth for decades, but Trump's tariff policies has upended that foundation.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha December 31, 2025 13:23 UTC