Where next for the USD/SGD amidst Singapore GE2020?
The SGD could strengthen in the lead up to Singapore's general election, says one analyst.
The USD/SGD forex pair trended lower on Wednesday 24 June 2020 morning, a day after Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced his decision to call for a general election next month.
The US dollar fell 0.25% against the SGD between 06:00 and 11:00 SGT to as low as S$1.38740, based on IG data.
Why the USD/SGD has been ‘drifting lower’
DailyFX Strategist Margaret Yang explained that the pair has been ‘drifting lower in the past two days mainly due to the dollar's own weakness and Singapore's election news’.
On Tuesday 23 June, Singapore President Halimah Yacob dissolved parliament and issued the Writ of Election, setting Nomination Day on 30 June and Polling Day on 10 July.
As Singaporeans head to the polls, Yang envisions upsides for the SGD in the upcoming months.
‘Traders are trying to price in the prospect of an election outcome with “no surprise”, which is likely to bring political stability to Singapore. As foreign capital flows back to emerging markets, (the) Singapore dollar will probably ride the tailwind and strengthen further,’ she said.
The USD’s weakness against a backdrop of improving risk sentiment, which saw the US Dollar Index decline for a second straight day, as Yang noted above, was also a factor in the USD/SGD falling.
The greenback had fallen broadly against most other majors overnight, bar the British pound.
Looking to trade the USD/SGD and other FX pairs? You can explore CFD trading by signing up for an IG account today.
Better-than-expected Europe and US manufacturing data
According to OCBC FX strategist Terence Wu, better-than-expected June preliminary PMIs across Europe, as well as similar flash data out of the US, had ‘buoyed market sentiment, and provided reassurance that the global economy is on the mend’.
He further noted that there was ‘not much reaction on the SGD front’ regarding the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the General Elections, citing that the SGD nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) stood at 0.30% above the perceived parity (1.3922) this morning, moving largely within familiar ranges compared to previous sessions.
Looking forward, he wrote that the SGD NEER range remains ‘very contained, and that should bookend USD/SGD movements on an intraday basis’. He is expecting a 1.3860 to 1.3920 range for the USD/SGD, ‘roughly coinciding with the parity to +0.40% above parity range on the SGD NEER’.
As at 16:45 SGT on Wednesday 24 June 2020, the USD/SGD is trading at S$1.38875.
How to trade forex with IG
Are you feeling bullish or bearish on the USD/SGD and other forex pairs? Either way you can buy (long) or sell (short) the asset using derivatives like CFDs offered on IG’s industry-leading trading platform in a few easy steps:
This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients.
CFDs are a leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.
Start trading forex today
Find opportunity on the world’s most-traded – and most-volatile – financial market
- Trade spreads from just 0.6 points on EUR/USD
- Analyse with clear, fast charts
- Speculate wherever you are with our intuitive mobile apps
See an FX opportunity?
Try a risk-free trade in your demo account, and see whether you’re onto something.
- Log in to your demo
- Try a risk-free trade
- See whether your hunch pays off
See an FX opportunity?
Don’t miss your chance – upgrade to a live account to take advantage.
- Get spreads from just 0.6 points on popular pairs
- Analyse and deal seamlessly on fast, intuitive charts
- See and react to breaking news in-platform
See an FX opportunity?
Don’t miss your chance. Log in to take your position.
Live prices on most popular markets
- Forex
- Shares
- Indices
Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.
