According to the Economic Development Board of Singapore (EDB), the electronics cluster saw a 48% increase in output, with all segments recording higher yields except for the data storage segment. Semiconductors posted the biggest expansion at 69.1%.
The precision engineering cluster also registered an increase of 15.7%, on the back of a 23.1% uptrend in the machinery and systems segment. The output of the precision modules & components segment went up 2.9% with higher production of dies, moulds, tools, jigs & fixture, optical instruments and metal precision parts.
The four remaining industrial sectors contracted in April, with biomedical sector sinking the lowest. Output for the said sector shrank 23.3% due to the lower production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. If it was not for the medical technology segment's growth of 11.1%, the biomedical sector would have sunken further.
If it was not for the weak performance of the volatile biomedical sector, overall manufacturing growth would sit at 15.5%.
The output from the transport engineering cluster declined by 14.5%, dragged by the 30.5% slump in marine and offshore engineering outputs. The offshore segment remained weak due to the low level of rig-building activity and lack lustre demand for oilfield & gas field equipment. The sector's output was lifted slightly by the land transport and aerospace segments which posted 10.1% and 5% expansions, respectively.
It was no different with the general manufacturing industries, which saw an 11% fall in output for the said month. Whilst the food, beverages & tobacco segment inched up 0.1%, the overall output was pulled down by the printing and miscellaneous industries' declines of 16.3% and 21.0%, respectively.
The chemicals cluster output also fell, albeit slightly at 1.8%. Its petroleum and specialties segments registered gains of 10.7% and 4.1% whilst petrochemicals segment fell 6.7% due to some maintenance shut down.
