China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Singapore’s consumer price-related inflation and industrial production data are on tap this week. The price barometer meter is expected to remain sluggish. Expectation is for the reading to inch up a tad to just 0.2 percent y/y, from 0.1 percent previously, according to the latest research report from DBS Bank.
But before one starts to feel jittery about the return of negative inflation, it pays to note that factors weighing down on inflation are largely domestic while external price pressure is brewing. Imported inflationary pressure is rising, led mainly by the recent uptrend in oil prices and a moderately weaker currency. Expect inflation to start heading higher from the second half of this year onwards.
Industrial output for May is expected to expand 9.9 percent. This is partly due to the low base effect, which will likely dissipate in the coming months. Moreover, manufacturers are facing capacity constraint in the near term, which could see output growth easing slightly lower. Unless manufacturers are willing to invest in capacity to boost overall output, else the upside on production growth will be limited.
