Watchers rosy on Singapore trade outlook despite risk from China's slowdown

SINGAPORE export growth cooled below expectations in August, as a decline in non-monetary gold shipments weighed on the trade sector.

But underlying export demand is still strong, said analysts, who held their forecasts despite trade disruption risks from China and the region.

Non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 2.7 per cent year on year in August, according to the latest figures from trade agency Enterprise Singapore (ESG) on Friday. A retreat from the 12.7 per cent gain in July, it missed the median forecast of 8.5 per cent in a Bloomberg poll.