Singapore Business Mood Stays Positive

2026-04-30 05:32 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

Business confidence in Singapore’s manufacturing sector stayed positive in the first quarter of 2026, with a net weighted balance rising to 17 from 11 in the previous quarter, despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

This marked the highest reading since Q2 2024, led by precision engineering (+51) and the electronics cluster (+42), supported by strong global AI-related investment and demand.

Transport engineering (+8) also maintained a modestly positive outlook, due to continued strength in aerospace maintenance.

In contrast, the chemicals sector (-53) remained the weakest, weighed by supply disruptions, higher feedstock costs, and margin pressures linked to Middle East tensions, while general manufacturing industries (-13) turned more cautious amid rising input costs.

Looking ahead, a net 20% of firms expect higher output in Q2 2026, led by electronics, precision engineering, and transport engineering, while most companies anticipate stable employment levels.



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Singapore Business Mood Remains Positive
Business confidence in Singapore's manufacturing sector remained positive in the second quarter of 2026, with a net weighted balance of 12%, though down from 17% in the previous survey, as strong global AI-related demand continued to support sentiment despite elevated geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Precision engineering (+55) was the most optimistic, driven by semiconductor-related equipment demand, while electronics (+19) also stayed upbeat on robust AI-related semiconductor demand. In contrast, chemicals (-25) remained the weakest amid Middle East-related feedstock supply disruptions, while general manufacturing industries (-13) stayed cautious due to rising material, fuel, and freight costs. Looking ahead, a net 26% of firms expect output to increase in the third quarter, led by precision engineering, electronics, and transport engineering, while most manufacturers anticipate stable employment.
2026-07-31
Singapore Business Mood Stays Positive
Business confidence in Singapore’s manufacturing sector stayed positive in the first quarter of 2026, with a net weighted balance rising to 17 from 11 in the previous quarter, despite ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty. This marked the highest reading since Q2 2024, led by precision engineering (+51) and the electronics cluster (+42), supported by strong global AI-related investment and demand. Transport engineering (+8) also maintained a modestly positive outlook, due to continued strength in aerospace maintenance. In contrast, the chemicals sector (-53) remained the weakest, weighed by supply disruptions, higher feedstock costs, and margin pressures linked to Middle East tensions, while general manufacturing industries (-13) turned more cautious amid rising input costs. Looking ahead, a net 20% of firms expect higher output in Q2 2026, led by electronics, precision engineering, and transport engineering, while most companies anticipate stable employment levels.
2026-04-30
Singapore Business Morale Remains Positive
Business confidence in Singapore’s manufacturing sector rose to 11 in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 8 in the previous quarter. This marked the highest reading of the year, signaling growing optimism, with the electronics sector (+33) remaining the main driver, buoyed by sustained AI-related demand in the semiconductors segment. Transport engineering (+10) also maintained a positive outlook, supported by strong demand for aerospace maintenance, while biomedical manufacturing (+8) turned modestly optimistic on expectations of higher pharmaceutical exports. In contrast, chemicals (-17) recorded the weakest sentiment amid concerns over macroeconomic uncertainty, weak refining margins and oversupply. Looking ahead, output expectations for Q1 2026 were marginally positive (+6) with most clusters anticipating higher production, while employment levels are expected to remain broadly stable, with the majority of firms planning no significant changes to workforce size.
2026-02-02