According to The Straits Times, car buyers can expect prices to slide further when an expanded certificate of entitlement (COE) quota kicks in from next month. From February to April, there will be 7,366 certificates - or 21.1 percent more - available for cars, the Land Transport Authority announced yesterday.

The growth comes largely on the back of more vehicles being scrapped as they reach their 10-year statutory lifespan. The supply consists of 4,057 COEs for cars up to 1,600cc and 130bhp, 2,417 for cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp, and 892 Open certificates. The last category can be used for any vehicle type but ends up being used almost exclusively by buyers of bigger cars.

Motor traders expect car prices to head south with the enlarged supply of COEs, although not immediately. Mr. Ron Lim, General Manager of Nissan agent Tan Chong Motor, said the substantial drop in premiums in the last tender had "generated a lot of of renewed buying interest".

Hence, he said, the bigger supply is unlikely to reduce premiums "in the short term" for Category A (cars up to 1,600cc).As for Category B (cars above 1,600cc), prices should fall, although not "significantly", he added.

COE prices have been sliding in the last three years, but the single biggest fall took place last week when the Category A premium tumbled by nearly $10,000 to $45,002 - its lowest in nearly half a decade.

This drove crowds back to showrooms, although it is unclear how many more sales it had resulted in. Mr. Neo Nam Heng, chairman of diversified motor group Prime, said, "There may be a rebound (in COE premiums) in the next two, three months. But after that, prices will fall." He added, "Along with the weaker economic outlook, there will be added downward pressure on prices.