Singapore factory output down 5.9% in June

A worker inspects a printed circuit board on the assembly line at the Venture Corp factory in Singapore, on Dec 15, 2008. Singapore's manufacturing output fell 5.9 per cent in June 2013 over the same month last year, dragged down by declines in the p
A worker inspects a printed circuit board on the assembly line at the Venture Corp factory in Singapore, on Dec 15, 2008. Singapore's manufacturing output fell 5.9 per cent in June 2013 over the same month last year, dragged down by declines in the precision engineering and biomedical manufacturing segments. --ST FILE PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

Singapore's manufacturing output fell 5.9 per cent last month over the same period last year, dragged down by declines in the precision engineering and biomedical manufacturing segments.

Statistics released on Friday showed that output in the precision engineering cluster fell 16.4 per cent, while biomedical manufacturing production plunged 23.7 per cent.

Output of the electronics cluster rose 2.6 per cent in June over the same month last year, boosted by computer peripherals, which expanded 30.9 per cent on the back of higher export demand.

The transport engineering cluster also produced 7.4 per cent more in June over a year ago, while the aerospace industry posted a gain of 14.3 per cent, with more orders for repair and maintenance jobs from commercial airlines.

The marine and offshore engineering cluster grew 2.2 per cent on the back of more rig building and oilfield and gasfield equipment production.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.