SINGAPORE (AP) - Singapore's manufacturing output in May grew 10.6 percent from a year ago - a rapid increase from April's 3 percent gain, buoyed by higher output from the transport engineering sector, according to figures released Monday by the Economic Development Board.
Transport engineering recorded the biggest growth among all sectors, with output up 35.5 percent from April in seasonally adjusted terms.
The marine and offshore engineering sector grew 34.8 percent, as exploration activities increased on the back of more demand for oilfield equipment from the Middle East and the U.S., the EDB said.
Precision engineering rose 11.6 percent in May from a year earlier, with increases in production of semiconductor assembly equipment.
Electronics, which accounts for a third of manufacturing, grew 8.6 percent, but contracting from April's 9.9 percent growth. The sector thrived on a 38.9 percent jump in semiconductor output despite disk-drive output falling 37.6 percent, a third month of sharp falls for that sector.
Pharmaceutical output rose 1.1 percent in May, while the medical technology segment declined 3.6 percent with less overseas shipments of medical devices.
