Singapore’s manufacturing output inched 8% higher in October

Here's how each segment fared.

According to a release, on a year-on-year basis, Singapore’s manufacturing output grew 8.0% in October 2013. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output increased 10.4%.

On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output was unchanged in October 2013. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output grew 0.2.

Performance by cluster

The electronics cluster’s output recorded robust year-on-year growth of 22.8% in October 2013, with most segments expanding amidst improved demand.

The computer peripherals, other electronics modules & components and semiconductors segments registered output growth of 85.8%, 50.5% and 20.3%, respectively. 

Output of the transport engineering cluster increased 8.9% year-on-year in October 2013. The marine & offshore engineering segment expanded 17.8%, supported by higher contributions from rig building projects. In contrast, the land and aerospace segments declined 3.5% and 4.1%, respectively. 

Output of the precision engineering cluster grew 5.0% year-on-year in October 2013, supported by higher output in the machinery & systems segment. This was partly due to the low base last year when export demand for semiconductor related equipment was weak. 

Cumulatively, output of the precision engineering cluster shrank 6.8% year-on-year in the first ten months of this year.

The chemicals cluster’s output fell 0.9% year-on-year in October 2013. The other chemicals and petrochemicals segments grew 4.6% and 2.4%, respectively, but the petroleum segment contracted 5.8% on the back of weak refining margins. 

The general manufacturing cluster’s output decreased 1.6% in October 2013, compared to a year ago. The miscellaneous industries segment’s output increased 3.1% with higher output of batteries and furniture, but this was more than offset by declines in the food, beverages & tobacco (-4.2%) and printing (-9.1%) segments. On a year-to-date basis, output of the general manufacturing cluster rose 2.1%.

Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster contracted 2.3% in October 2013 on a year-on-year basis. The medical technology segment expanded 20.0% on account of higher demand from the US.

However, pharmaceuticals output fell 6.9% due to a different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients produced.