SINGAPORE, April 14 -- Hiring momentum in Singapore is expected to slow in 2026, while wage growth is likely to moderate as geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the West Asia conflict weighs on business sentiment, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said.

According to Channel NewsAsia, MAS noted in its latest quarterly macroeconomic review that firms are likely to adopt a more cautious stance on manpower expansion, with salary increases also expected to come in softer than in 2025.

The central bank said its assessment was partly based on a business optimism index by the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau during the outbreak of the war, which showed a slight weakening in overall business outlook.

It added that employment growth ...