Singapore’s manufacturing outlook improved marginally as the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) inched higher by 0.1 point to 49.9 in Aug (from 49.8 in Jul), the third consecutive month of improvement. However, the reading implies the 6th straight month of contraction (i.e. sub-50) in overall activity for the manufacturing sector, after a neutral print of 50.0 in Feb 23. 

Singapore Manufacturing PMI Outlook – While we are heartened by the third consecutive month of marginal improvement in the headline PMI, the sub-50 print corroborates our view that Singapore still faces headwinds in the manufacturing sector as many key sub-indices of the PMI remain in contraction territory. 

We may see a few more months of sub-50 PMI prints for the electronics sector before positive prints emerge towards the end of the year while the headline PMI could turn expansionary (above 50.0) in the next few months. We maintain our forecast for Singapore’s 2023 manufacturing to contract by 5.4%.