The Business Times
business-time-50
INVESTING GLOBALLY & PROFITABLY

Why Singapore’s manufacturing story holds

Sector-level margin pressure appears more manageable than the headline cost data initially suggests

Summarise
google-preferred-sourceAdd BT as a preferred source
阅读简体中文版 (beta)
    • Electronics accounts for roughly one-third of Singapore’s manufacturing output, and its sustained strength underscores the continued support from artificial intelligence-driven semiconductor demand.
    • Electronics accounts for roughly one-third of Singapore’s manufacturing output, and its sustained strength underscores the continued support from artificial intelligence-driven semiconductor demand. PHOTO: BT FILE

    Adeline Gao

    Published Tue, Jun 16, 2026 · 03:31 PM

    [SINGAPORE] The improvement in Singapore’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) in May was broad-based.

    New orders, export demand, factory output, purchasing activity and employment all accelerated from April, indicating that manufacturing growth is becoming more entrenched rather than relying on a single driver.

    The electronics PMI rose to 51.9, extending its expansion streak to 12 consecutive months, as it continued to outperform the broader manufacturing sector.

    semiconductorsPMISingapore manufacturing

    TRENDING NOW

    Traffic through the strait has been resuming but with interruptions, and there is still little clarity over a permanent solution for passages through the chokepoint.

    Qatari LNG ship struck in Strait of Hormuz, testing US talks

    This comes after a Citi note on Tuesday that lifted target prices for all Singapore banks, with a leading preference and “buy” call for DBS.

    DBS, OCBC and UOB shares hit all-time highs as sentiment improves

    Aster deputy CEO Andre Khor, citing the age of the “polycrisis”, says: “It’s very important to be agile, to be focused on execution… We don’t know all the answers but we keep going forward.”

    ‘Baptism of fire’: Andre Khor on leading Singapore refiner Aster through an energy crisis

    Singapore ranks as the world’s most expensive city for cars and placed third globally for residential property.

    Singapore retains top spot as most expensive city for HNWIs, with five Apac cities in global top 10

    Latest T-bills Treasury Bills Results & Interest NewsLatest SSB Singapore Savings Bonds NewsLatest COE Certificate of Entitlement News
    Latest Johor-Singapore SEZ NewsLatest BTO Build To Order & Sales of Balance NewsLatest STI Straits Times Index NewsLatest SGX Dividends, Share Price NewsLatest Bonds Market NewsLatest Singapore Stocks To Buy NewsLatest Singapore Economy News
    View More