Singapore's central bank eased monetary policy Friday for the first time in almost five years on expectations that inflation and economic growth will slow this year.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore forecast slower growth and contained inflation at home amid rising uncertainty from trade frictions abroad.

Singapore's key consumer price gauge rose 1.8 percent in December from a year earlier, higher than economist forecasts and the lowest in more than three years, official data showed on Thursday. The core inflation rate,

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Wednesday that he’s convened a committee to review electoral boundaries, in a sign that the government may call for an early national vote in the Southeast Asian city-state.