Singapore's factory output grew 4 per cent in November over the same month last year, boosted mainly by the electronics and transport engineering segments.

But the expansion was smaller than October's 8.3 per cent surge, according to Economic Development Board (EDB) data released on Thursday.

Production also fell 2.8 per cent in November from October - the first month-on-month contraction in three months.

EDB figures showed that last month's factory production was buoyed by electronics output, which expanded 11 per cent in November over the same month last year. It was the electronics segment's eighth consecutive month of growth.

In particular, manufacturers churned out more computer peripherals, semiconductors, and other electronics modules and components. These outweighed declines in the production of data storage and infocomms and consumer electronics goods, the EDB said.

Another bright spot was transport engineering, where output increased 6.3 per cent last month over last year, supported by better performances in aerospace and marine and offshore engineering.

But the volatile drugs segment proved a drag on manufacturing last month. Pharmaceuticals output fell 3.2 per cent, pulling down overall production in the biomedical sector.

Excluding the biomedical sector, overall factory output would have grown a stronger 5.5 per cent last month over the year before, the EDB said.