SINGAPORE: There is still a possibility for Singapore to chalk up growth of 6 per cent or more this year, according to economists who do not expect the recently imposed COVID-19 curbs to throw the economic recovery off course for now.

These economists have pencilled in full-year estimates of 6 per cent to 7 per cent growth, even as authorities on Tuesday (May 25) opted to maintain an earlier forecast for gross domestic product (GDP) to be between 4 per cent and 6 per cent for 2021.

The authorities said last month that it was possible for Singapore’s rebound in 2021 to exceed the upper end of this forecast range.

But since then, the country has witnessed a spike in community infections and active clusters, prompting the roll-out of tighter curbs such as a ban on dine-ins and a cap of two people for social gatherings until Jun 13.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) warned on Tuesday of “heightened uncertainties” caused by the pandemic at home and abroad. The latest slew of tighter restrictions and border controls are also likely to result in a recovery that is “more uneven than earlier expected”.

While it is still possible for the Singapore economy to outperform the official forecast range, there are also “significant downside risks”, said MTI, adding that a review of the forecast will be done in August when it has more data and greater clarity on the COVID-19 situation.