MAS: Housing loans continue to fall in April

Victor Kang3 Jun 2019

MAS Singapore

Data from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) revealed that housing loans in Singapore fell to $202.76 billion in April, from $203.38 billion in March. Consumer loans also fell to $264.57 billion in April from $264.67 billion in March.  

Preliminary data from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) revealed that housing loans in Singapore fell for a third month in April, which resulted to a continued drop in consumer loans, reported The Business Times.

Bridging loans and mortgages booked in April on a net basis amounted to $202.76 billion, lower than the $203.38 billion posted in March.

With housing loans accounting for about three-quarters of consumer lending, overall consumer loans fell to $264.57 billion in April from $264.67 billion in March.

In a Bloomberg interview, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said the property cycle in Singapore has stabilised almost a year after the government intervened to curb soaring property prices.

“The property market last year, before the cooling measures were put in place, we saw prices rising very sharply…There was a very real risk that prices would outpace fundamentals, and I think if that had happened, then eventually it would lead to a destabilising correction, and I think everybody would be worse off,” said Wong.

“It was, as we had stressed then, not to bring down prices but to stabilise and moderate the cycle, and I think we have achieved that effect.”

Overall bank lending held flat in April from the previous month, on the back of moderated growth in business lending and decline in consumer loans.

Total lending in April climbed 1.4 percent from a year ago, slower than the 2.2 percent year-on-year growth registered in March.

Turn back time and enjoy discounts of up to $300,000 when you buy a new home during PropertyGuru’s GuruDeals now! 

PGSG_Consumer_GuruDeals_In-house_Content_Banner (1)

Victor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email victorkang@propertyguru

POST COMMENT

You may also like these articles

Strong rumours of further curbs to private housing loans

By Romesh Navaratnarajah: The Monetary Authority of Singapore could be about to slash the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) for private residential properties in a further bid to moderate home prices, Pr

Continue Reading6 Mar 2013

MAS checking impact of new property curbs

The central bank's head thinks it will take at least two to three quarters to fully understand the implications of the latest property cooling measures.After the government imposed a “decisive set o

Continue Reading12 Oct 2018

MAS: Exercise caution in taking up housing loans

Home buyers should remain prudent in their buying decisions on the back of rising interest rates and the upcoming supply of new homes.While the recent curbs had slowed the pace of property price hikes

Continue Reading26 Nov 2018