Singapore's June manufacturing output dropped 5.9%

That's excluding biomedical output.

According to the Department of Statistics, on a year-on-year basis, manufacturing output declined 5.9% in June 2013. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output fell 0.5%. On a three-month moving average basis, manufacturing output increased 0.2% in June 2013, compared to a year ago. 

On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output contracted 3.1% in June 2013. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output fell 0.5%.

Output of the transport engineering cluster increased 7.4% year-on-year in June 2013, supported by higher output across all segments. The aerospace segment recorded a gain of 14.3% in June, with more orders for repair and maintenance jobs from commercial airlines.

The marine & offshore engineering segment grew 2.2%, as a result of increased levels of activities from rig building and oilfield & gasfield equipment production. Output of the transport engineering cluster in the first six months of 2013 declined 4.9%, compared to the same period last year.

Output of the electronics cluster rose 2.6% in June 2013, compared to the same period a year ago. The computer peripherals and other electronic modules & components segments expanded 30.9% and 14.9%, respectively, on the back of higher export demand. 

The general manufacturing cluster’s output rose 0.9% in June 2013, compared to a year ago. The miscellaneous industries segment grew 3.8%, supported by higher output in construction related products such as structural metal components and concrete & cement products.

However, this was partly offset by declines in the food, beverages & tobacco (-0.2%) and printing (-4.7%) segments. On a year-to-date basis, output of the general manufacturing cluster rose 2.2%.

The chemicals cluster’s output declined 4.1% year-on-year in June 2013, with all segments recording declines. Affected by plant shutdowns, the specialties and petrochemicals segments fell 3.8% and 5.5%, respectively. Output of the chemicals cluster in the first half of 2013 fell 1.4% on a year-on-year basis.

Output of the precision engineering cluster declined 16.4% year-on-year in June 2013. The precision modules & components segment fell 11.0% with lower output in metal plating and metal & plastic precision components. 

Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster fell 23.7% in June 2013 on a year-on-year basis. Expansion in the medical technology segment (12.3%) was more than offset by the decline (-28.9%) in the pharmaceuticals segment. 

The next monthly manufacturing performance media release will be issued on 26 August 2013.