22 November 2023
Bigger Picture: S'pore Q3 GDP beats expectations, recovery in 2H24
Barnabas Gan, Acting Chief Economist, RHB Bank, discusses why he feels Singapore is likely to hit the top of the range for next year's growth forecast of between 1% and 3%, picking up from 2023's forecast of 1%.

Download this podcast.

Listen To His Previous Podcasts:

13 October 2023
Bigger Picture: What do Singapore's Q3 GDP numbers say about the health of the economy?
Barnabas Gan, Acting Chief Economist, RHB Bank, weighs in on whether Singapore's latest GDP figures for Q3 met expectations; the bright spots and weaknesses with respect to how the global economy is impacting the lion-city; the sectors driving Singapore's momentum into Q4; and the thinking behind MAS' decision to keep its monetary policy unchanged for the second straight meeting.
Presented by Willie Keng
Podcast edited by Emaad Akhtar (eakhtar@sph.com.sg)

Download this podcast.

14 July 2023
Bigger Picture: Singapore avoids technical recession in Q2
Barnabas Gan, Senior Economist, RHB Bank discusses what helped Singapore avoid a technical recession in Q2 2023, which saw a 0.3 rise q-o-q, reversing a contraction of -0.4% q-o-q in Q1. He also analyses if there is enough momentum in the services sector to carry over to the rest of the year and if the electronics manufacturing slump has bottomed out.

Download this podcast.

14 April 2023
Bigger Picture: S'pore Q1 softer than expected, MAS hits pause
Barnabas Gan, Senior economist, RHB Bank discusses why the Monetary Authority of Singapore may have decided to hit the pause on tightening after doing so for five straight times, and explores if Singapore's economy could be in for a technical recession in the first half of this year after contracting 0.7% q-o-q in Q1.

Download this podcast.

13 February 2023
Bigger Picture: S'pore Q4 GDP slows to 2.1%
Barnabas Gan, Senior Economist, RHB discusses the drag on economic growth from the manufacturing sector, as Q4 GDP came in a tad below 2.2% flash estimates. He also shares what he hopes to see from Budget 2023.

Download this podcast.

14 April 2022
Bigger Picture: MAS tightens 3rd time in a row
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB, discusses how aggressive Singapore's central bank is positioning its policy, and breaks down the trajectory of the country's growth following Q1 GDP estimates of 3.4 percent yoy, which moderates from Q4's 6.1% yoy.

Download the podcast.

2 March 2022
Across the ASEAN: How Might ASEAN Central Banks Respond to a Rising Rate Environment?
With the US Federal Reserve widely expected to begin raising rates at their March policy meeting, will central bankers in Southeast Asia follow suit? UOB thinks that while policymakers across the ASEAN will also raise rates -- some will move earlier than others. JP Ong spoke to UOB economist Barnabas Gan on Across the ASEAN about how central bankers in the region may react -- and how recent events between Russia and Ukraine might impact things.

Download the podcast.

21 February 2022
Influence: Budget 2022 - Highlights and impact on Singaporeans
Michelle Martin invites Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB to break down the key announcements delivered during Finance Minister Lawrence Wong's budget speech last week.

Download the podcast.

11 August 2021
Bigger Picture: Singapore upgrades 2021 growth forecast to 6%-7%
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB discusses what was behind the surprise beat in 2Q GDP which rebounded 14.7% year-on-year, and what the biggest downside risk is in the coming months.

Download the podcast.

14 July 2021
Bigger Picture: Singapore sees record 14.3% jump in 2Q GDP
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB Bank discusses whether the growth momentum is on track for the government to revise upwards its 2021 growth forecast of between 4% and 6%.

Download the podcast.

14 June 2021
Reviewing the Results of the MAS' Latest Survey
The Monetary Authority of Singapore released its latest survey of private economists, who raised their outlook for the country's GDP to grow 6.5% this year. UOB Economist Barnabas Gan is one of those survey participants, and spoke to us on Prime Time about how the survey's results stacked up against UOB's own in-house projections, his views on inflation, and why the survey's outlook on corporate profits and housing prices seem rather upbeat as well.

Download the podcast.

14 April 2021
Bigger Picture: S'pore Q1 GDP up 0.2%, after three quarters of contraction
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB, discusses what will support the Singapore growth outlook after the first quarter beat expectations.

Download the podcast.

14 October 2020
Bigger Picture: S'pore Q3 GDP shrinks 7%, after Q2's record 13.3% plunge
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB Bank highlights the bright spots from the flash estimates, and weaknesses that will likely persist that will play out for the labour market.

Download the podcast.

11 August 2020
Bigger Picture: Singapore records worst quarterly GDP contraction
Singapore lowers its full year growth forecast to "-5% to -7%" from "-4% to -7%". Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB talks about what lies ahead for various sectors and the retrenchment picture.

Download the podcast.

14 July 2020
Assessing Singapore's Advanced 2Q Figures
Singapore's Advanced 2Q GDP numbers showed a 12.6% contraction, with the country entering a technical recession. Though the outlook remains uncertain - -could this be as bad as it gets for the economy? Barnabas Gan -- economist at UOB- - joined us to assess the release, and also shared his thoughts on whether the recent General Elections will lead to any changes to the country's economic policy.

Download the podcast.

11 October 2019
Bigger Picture: Preview of Singapore Q3 GDP numbers
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB Bank breaks down the biggest finance news headlines including; The US-China trade negotiations, Dyson cancelling its electric car plans in Singapore, and a preview of what to expect from Singapore's Q3 GDP numbers.

Download the podcast.

17 September 2019
Bigger Picture: Singapore Aug exports drop 8.9%, less than expected
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB shares how the latest NODX numbers suggest Singapore may evade a technical recession in Q3, and how higher oil prices will impact Singapore's growth outlook and SGD strength.

Download the podcast.

13 August 2019
The Bigger Picture: Singapore Q2 GDP disappoints, 2019 outlook downgraded
Barnabas Gan, Economist, UOB discusses whether Singapore’s manufacturing sector has bottomed out yet after it dragged Q2 growth down to 0.1% year-on-year, below market forecasts of 0.2%.

Download the podcast.