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            <p>SINGAPORE'S economy will probably expand faster this year than  estimated, stoking inflation and a larger appreciation in the currency, a central bank survey has shown.</p>
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Gross domestic product could increase 5.7 per cent, after growing 14.5 per cent last year, according to the median estimate of 20 economists in a survey by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.</p>
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In a December poll the economists predicted  growth of 5.1 per cent.</p>
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 Singapore raised its inflation forecast last month, and economists from Standard Chartered and Citigroup predict the central bank will revalue the currency or let it appreciate faster during its policy review in April.</p>
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''Managing inflation has been flagged as the key challenge to the economy this year,'' Peter Redward,  head of emerging Asia research at Barclays Bank in Singapore, said.  ''We expect the Monetary Authority of Singapore to allow a faster pace of currency appreciation in its April statement.''</p>
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The government expects growth of up to 6 per cent.  The island-state's economy could expand 5.9 per cent this quarter from a year earlier, the MAS survey showed. GDP rose 12 per cent in the three months to December compared with a year earlier.</p>
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The Singapore dollar could get to $1.23 against the US currency by year's end. Yesterday it was $1.27.</p>
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Consumer prices would probably rise 4 per cent this year,  faster than the 2.9 per cent pace predicted in December. The central bank, which uses its currency rather than interest rates to manage price gains, forecasts inflation will average between 3 per cent and 4 per cent.</p>
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But the  building industry is  forecast to slow more than   expected.</p>
            <p><b>Bloomberg</b></p>
    </div></div><p><strong>Read more:</strong> <a class="rssreadon" rel="external" title="Economy on a roll, surprising the experts" href="http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/economy-on-a-roll-surprising-the-experts-20110309-1bnut.html" target="_blank">http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/economy-on-a-roll-surprising-the-experts-20110309-1bnut.html</a></p>