Asian markets get ‘breather’ with US Fed’s rate cut pause

[SINGAPORE] The US Federal Reserve’s decision to hold off on interest rate cuts gives Asian markets “a breather” and more room for certainty, said market observers.

In Singapore, banks and real estate investment trusts (Reits) are expected to be the “biggest winners” of steady interest rates, although other sectors such as shipping and industrials are unlikely to see growth without a big stimulus push.

The pause in US interest rates are unlikely to have an impact on Singapore’s corporate and sovereign bonds, said industry observers.

The US Federal Reserve paused interest rate cuts again on Wednesday (Mar 19), with its policymakers voting to hold the US central bank’s key lending rate at between 4.25 and 4.5 per cent.

The Fed noted an increase in economic uncertainty, as it navigates an economy unnerved by President Donald Trump’s stop-start tariff roll-out.