SINGAPORE (Dec 26): Singapore’s manufacturing output increased 7.6% in November on a year-on-year basis, reported the Economic Development Board (EDB) on Wednesday.
Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output grew 5.3%. On a three-month moving average basis, manufacturing output rose 4.5% in November 2018, compared to a year ago.
On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output increased 2.8%. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output was unchanged.
Output for biomedical manufacturing increased 18.5% in November from a year ago. Pharmaceuticals output expanded 23.9% with higher production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and biological products, while the medical technology segment grew 6.6%.
Output for transport engineering increased 11.3% year-on-year with all segments recording output growth. The marine & offshore engineering segment expanded 26.6%, on the back of a low base in November last year, as well as a higher level of work done in offshore projects. The land and aerospace segments grew 4.7% and 0.6% respectively.
For the electronics sector, output increased 11.2% in November on a year-on-year basis. Within the cluster, the semiconductors, infocomms & consumer electronics and other electronic modules & components segments grew 16.5%, 12.6% and 3.0% respectively. On the other hand, the data storage and computer peripherals segments contracted.
Output for chemicals increased 3.4% year-on-year in November. Growth was supported by the other chemicals and specialties segments which grew 18.7% and 6.6% respectively. The former reported higher output in fragrances while the latter registered higher output in industrial gases and mineral oil additives. By contrast, production in the petroleum and petrochemicals segments fell 5.3% and 10.9% respectively, on account of maintenance shutdowns.
Output from general manufacturing decreased 0.8% on a year-on-year basis in November. The food, beverages & tobacco and miscellaneous industries segment grew 1.0% and 0.3% respectively. On the other hand, the printing segment declined 11.0%.
Output from precision engineering declined 8.2% in November compared to a year ago.
