Manufacturing Growth Driven by Expansions Across Almost All Clusters

Imports and a 25 percent tariff on auto imports would remain.

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The US President's August 1 deadline gives the targeted countries time to negotiate agreements that could lower the threatened tariffs.

Singapore's better-than-expected performance was lifted as manufacturing companies rush their purchases and shipments ahead of the US tariffs, said Ms Selena Ling, chief economist and head of global markets research and strategy at OCBC.

The Republic's manufacturing sector grew by 5.5 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2025, faster than the 4.4 percent expansion in the previous quarter. Growth was driven by output expansions across all clusters, except for the chemicals and general manufacturing clusters.

The construction sector expanded 4.9 percent year on year in the second quarter, easing slightly from the 5.1 percent growth in the preceding quarter.

Among the services sectors, the wholesale and retail trade as well as transportation and storage sectors collectively grew by 4.8 percent year on year in the second quarter. This compares with the 4.6 percent growth in the previous quarter. All sectors within the group expanded during the quarter.