Singapore's labour productivity contracts again - by 1.5% in Q4

SINGAPORE'S overall labour productivity contracted by 1.5 per cent in the last quarter of 2014 - the third consecutive quarter of decline, and a worsening from Q3's 0.9 per cent contraction.

For the whole of 2014, labour productivity declined by 0.8 per cent - a reversal of 2013's 0.3 per cent growth.

"The decline in overall productivity can be attributed not only to productivity falling across most sectors, but also a rise in the employment share of less productive, domestically-oriented sectors," the Ministry of Trade and Industry said on Tuesday.