SINGAPORE, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Manufacturing output in Singapore rose 10.1 percent year on year in March, lifting first-quarter growth to 7.9 percent, official data showed on Monday.
The Singapore Economic Development Board said in a statement that all clusters posted year-on-year expansion in March 2026, except biomedical manufacturing and chemicals.
Electronics output surged 30 percent, driven by strong gains in infocomms and consumer electronics as well as semiconductors, supported by robust demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
Precision engineering expanded 14 percent, with the precision modules and components segment recording a higher output of optical instruments, electronic connectors and metal precision components. The machinery and systems segment also benefited from increased production of semiconductor equipment.
General manufacturing grew 7.6 percent, led by the miscellaneous industries segment on higher output of structural metal products and ready-mix concrete. Growth in the food, beverages and tobacco segment was supported by beverage concentrates and animal feed production.
Transport engineering rose 2 percent, with expansions in both land and aerospace segments. The aerospace segment was supported by higher production of aircraft parts and sustained maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activity from commercial airlines. However, the marine and offshore engineering segment contracted due to lower output of oilfield and gasfield equipment.
In contrast, biomedical manufacturing declined 14.3 percent amid weaker demand for medical devices and a different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredient production.
Chemicals output fell 16 percent, weighed down by lower production in petroleum and petrochemicals due to feedstock supply disruptions.
On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, overall manufacturing output increased 4.7 percent in March. ■
