Manufacturing output in Singapore rose 4.7 per cent in April over the same period last year on the back of strong performance in the pharmaceuticals sector.

Excluding biomedical manufacturing, output fell 2.7 per cent.

Output of the biomedical manufacturing cluster grew 44.7 per cent year on year. The pharmaceuticals segment expanded 48 per cent, mainly due to a different mix of active pharmaceutical ingredients being produced, while the medical technology segment grew 31.1 per cent on the back of higher production capacities

Electronics output rose 1.1 per cent in April, compared to the same period a year ago. The other electronics modules & components segment registered strong growth of 80.2 per cent, on the back of higher orders from Asia. The semiconductors segment expanded 6.9 per cent, a turnaround from the declines in previous months.

Cumulatively, output of the electronics cluster contracted 7.1 per cent from January to April this year, compared to the same period last year.