The Economic Development Board estimated on Monday that the country’s manufacturing output grew 4.3% year on year in October, exceeding economists’ expectations of 2.6% growth.
Excluding the volatile biomedical manufacturing sector, output grew 3%.
Electronics output dropped for the second straight month, down 2.7% year on year, with semiconductors, computer peripherals and data storage seeing contraction. Other electronic modules and components grew 5.1%.
Infocomms and consumer electronics segments grew 1.7%.
However, the overall electronics industry’s output has still seen a cumulative increase of 8.9% from January to October, compared to the same period the year before.
The other cluster that sees a contraction in output was chemicals, down 1% year on year. Production in petroleum and petrochemicals fell nearly 10% and 15% respectively much due to maintenance shutdowns, while the rest chemical segment grew 15.1 per cent with higher output in fragrances.
Transport engineering remained the top-performing cluster, with output up 31% year on year and all segments recording growth. Marine and offshore engineering grew 52.2% on the back of a low base a year ago, as well as more work done in offshore projects.
Aerospace grew 15.6% with more engine repair and maintenance work from commercial airlines.
Pharmaceuticals output expanded 15.8% with higher production of pharmaceutical and biological products.
General manufacturing ended a three-month decline by growing 1.3 per cent.
