Good morning! Morning Minutes is a round-up of stories that will break on Thursday, April 14, and which we think you'd be interested in.
It appears on weekdays, available by 7am.
First-quarter flash estimates out today
Singapore's first-quarter flash estimate is due out this morning, with analysts expecting tepid but positive growth in the economy year-on-year as well as quarter-on-quarter. Separately, the Monetary Authority of Singapore is tipped to keep the status quo on its Singdollar policy, with no change to parity, gradient or band width against a basket of currencies.
Free health screenings for family members of diabetes patients
The Singhealth Group has partnered with select GPs to offer free health screenings for immediate family members of diabetes patients. PHOTO: ST FILE
The Singhealth Group has partnered selected GPs across the island to offer free health screenings for immediate family members of patients with Type 2 diabetes. It will unveil more details about this new screening programme today, including who is eligible for it.
Summit for leaders of Islamic grouping
Leaders from more than 50 countries are gathered in Istanbul for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's annual summit today and tomorrow. They are set to focus on the Palestinian cause, conflicts in member states and combating terrorism. Analysts said Turkey's hosting of the summit is a new symbol of its desire to be seen as a major power in the Islamic world, especially in lands once controlled by the Ottoman Empire.
Bank of England to release monetary policy
The Bank of England will release minutes of last month's monetary policy committee meeting today alongside decisions for interest rate and quantitative easing . The bank has unanimously voted to maintain bank rates at 0.5 per cent last month, where they are expected to remain until a decision is reached on UK's membership of the European Union (Brexit). With inflation remaining weak and uncertainty surrounding the Brexit referendum, spending decisions may also be delayed leading to depressing growth figures. A 2 per cent inflation target looks nearly a year away, analysts say.
US consumer spending data out today
Consumer spending in the United States may be losing momentum, analysts say, as they await the figures today, a day after retail sales showed unexpected drop for March. Demand for automobiles dropped in a year which led the fall in retail prices, followed by cutbacks in clothing stores, retaurants and e-commerce. Sustained gains in consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, are needed at a time exports are still depressed by cooling global markets and US manufacturing is barely emerging from a slump. But, analysts fear a negative consumer sentiment to continue in March after a Feb decrease to 0.2 per cent.
