Singapore's manufacturing output expanded last month for the seventh straight month, growing 3.9 per cent from the same period a year ago.

But the sector appears to be losing some steam, with output falling 8.1 per cent in January over December, according to data released by the Economic Development Board (EDB) on Wednesday.

Electronics output increased 7.4 per cent in January over the previous year, with all segments recording higher numbers.

The chemicals sector output rose 8.4 per cent in the period, as new petrochemical plants that opened last year continued to ramp up their production.

Transport engineering output edged up 2.7 per cent but precision engineering production dipped 1 per cent, while the output from the general manufacturing sector saw a 4.2 per cent decline.

The biomedical cluster's production expanded 5.1 per cent, with output from the medical technology segment output growing 7.8 per cent on the back of higher demand for medical instruments and consumables. Pharmaceuticals output increased 4.5 per cent with higher production of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Excluding biomedical manufacturing, overall output would have grown 3.7 per cent in January over a year ago, the EDB said.