KEY INSIGHTS #1
MAS stance supports a steady bank operating backdrop.
MAS kept the S$NEER policy band unchanged on 29 Jan 2026 and raised its 2026 core and headline inflation forecasts to 1.0% to 2.0%, signalling a firm but manageable macro backdrop. For DBS, this matters because the key debate is no longer “rates up equals NIM expansion”, but whether NIM can stabilise while wealth and treasury income carry group revenue. The January policy stance gives banks a more predictable domestic operating environment, even as global rates remain volatile.