Here's what to watch for: SMALLER PROVISIONS The trio posted lower profit a year ago mainly because loans to the offshore energy services sector were going bad. DBS's aggressive classification of nonperforming assets between July to September - which led to the steepest drop in profit since the 2008 financial crisis - means that's clearing up now. Impairment charges at DBS will fall 51 per cent on-year to S$225 million, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs Group Inc, led by Melissa Kuang. Goldman's also forecasting lower provisions for OCBC and UOB. HIGHER RATES The banks are being helped by Singapore's faster-than-expected economic growth and rising US interest rates, which are pushing up local borrowing costs. Solid economic expansion means OCBC may see loan growth of 8 per cent on-year in 2017, DBS 7 per cent and UOB 6 per cent, Morgan Stanley's Nick Lord estimates.