The sector added just 4,900 jobs in the three months ending Sept 30 this year - half that of the previous three months.

Some 1,500 of the 2,000 workers laid off in the third quarter were also from manufacturing sector - mainly the electronics industry, the Manpower Ministry noted in its report on the employment situation in the third quarter.

This is higher than the 1,126 manufacturing workers retrenched in the previous quarter.

Overall, 57,800 jobs were added in the three months of July to September.

This was down from 71,400 jobs added in the previous quarter, and slightly less than the 58,600 jobs added in the third quarter of last year.

But contrary to analysts' more pessimistic expectations, the jobless rate as of last month remained the same as in June, at 2.2 per cent.

Resident unemployment, however, did see an increase to 3.3 per cent, up from 3.1 per cent in June and 2.4 per cent a year ago.

The ministry attributed the increase to a rise in resident labour supply.

Overall, some 65,400 residents were unemployed.

But the jobs situation looks set to worsen.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore in its half-yearly Macroeconomic Review released on Tuesday indicated that unemployment is likely to rise over the next few quarters. chinlian@sph.com.sg