Singapore's factory output rises 14.3% in November, boosted by biomedical manufacturing

Singapore's manufacturing output recorded a 14.3 per cent jump in November, year-on-year, led by strong performance in biomedical manufacturing, the Economic Development Board said on Friday (Dec 26).

The factory output numbers showed moderation from October's high of 28.9 per cent.

Excluding the volatile biomedical manufacturing sector, manufacturing output rose by 4.6 per cent year-on-year, compared to October's revised 15.5 per cent growth.

According to data provided, all clusters, except for general manufacturing, recorded growth in November.

Biomedical engineering surged by 79.3 per cent year-on-year in November, driven by growth in pharmaceuticals and medical technology.

Pharmaceutical output grew by 124.3 per cent in particular, due to increased production of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The second best performing cluster was transport engineering, up 24.2 per cent year-on-year. 

The aerospace segment in particular expanded by 33.8 per cent, bolstered by higher production of aircraft parts and sustained maintenance, repair and overhaul jobs from commercial airlines.

The marine and offshore engineering segment increased by 21.7 per cent due to higher activity levels in shipyards, while the land segment declined by 26 per cent. 

Other clusters such as electronics, precision engineering and chemicals recorded growth.

The general manufacturing cluster continued its contraction from previous months and declined by 4.8 per cent year-on-year in November.

The miscellaneous industries declined by 10.2 per cent, spurred by lower output in paper and paperboard containers and structural metal products industries.

Cumulatively, the general manufacturing cluster declined 8.8 per cent from January to November 2025 compared to the same period a year ago.

[[nid:725634]]

dana.leong@asiaone.com