SINGAPORE, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's manufacturing output increased 11.9 percent in November on a year-on-year basis, said the country's Economic Development Board (EDB) on Friday.
Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output grew 6.4 percent year-on-year, said EDB in a statement. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output increased by 6.1 percent in November. Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output expanded by 5.1 percent.
As for performance by cluster, the biomedical manufacturing cluster's output increased 34.8 percent in November compared to the same period a year ago.
EDB said pharmaceutical segment expanded 36.1 percent due to a different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients and biological products produced, while the medical technology segment posted robust growth of 30.8 percent with higher export demand for medical instruments.
Output of electronics cluster increased 24.2 percent in November year-on-year, whose growth was largely supported by the semiconductors segment that grew 49.6 percent, according to EDB.
Output of the precision engineering cluster registered a 7.6-percent increase year-on-year in November. The machinery and systems segment grew 10 percent, while the precision modules and components segment recorded higher output of industrial rubber and dies, moulds, tools, jigs and fixtures.
Output of chemicals cluster rose 3.5 percent on a year-on-year in November with all segments recorded higher output. The petroleum segment led the growth with a 22-percent expansion due to low base effect last year as plants shut down for maintenance.
On the contrary, EDB said the general manufacturing industries cluster's output in November decreased 0.9 percent year-on-year. The miscellaneous industries and printing segments posted a decrease in output of 4.5 percent, 16.2 percent respectively.
The transport engineering cluster's output contracted 14.8 percent year-on-year in November.
EDB said the 12.2-percent growth in the land transport segment was offset by declines in the aerospace and marine and offshore segments, which declined by 4.2 percent and 23.6 percent respectively. The segment continued to be plagued by the low oil price environment, which affected rig building activities and demand for oilfield and gasfield equipment.
A single purchase
