Singapore's non-oil domestic exports decline

SINGAPORE, Dec 17 (Bernama) -Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) fell by 3.4 percent last month in contrast to October's 6.5 percent increase, largely due to a drop in electronic NODX as non-electronic domestic exports were flat at 0.2 percent, the government said today.It said the NODX, valued at S$14.61 billion (S$1=RM2.28), to the top 10 NODX markets - except Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, the US and China - went down mainly to reduced inputs by the EU's 27 states as well as Indonesia.International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, an agency under the Trade & Industry Ministry which spearheads the development of the city state's external wing, said in a statement that non-oil re-exports (NORX) rose by 1.7 per cent in November, slower than the 5.5 per cent growth in October, contributed by the increase in non-electronic NORX.The agency said NODX to Malaysia rose by 1.2 percent in November, reversing the marginal decline of 0.9 percent in October due to growth in non-electronic NODX which offset the contraction in electronic NODX.Non-electronic NODX to Malaysia expanded by 3.0 percent in the month, slower than the 9.2 percent gain in October.The increase in non-electronic NODX was led by rising shipments of primary chemicals (+89 percent), metallic ores and scrap (+106 percent) and electrical machinery (+50 percent).Electronic domestic exports to Malaysia decreased for the eighth consecutive month by 0.6 percent in November, following the 9.6 percent fall in October.Slower sales of integrated circuits or ICs (-12 percent), telecommunications equipment (-60 percent) and capacitors (-20 percent) offset higher domestic exports of parts of ICs (+73 percent) and parts of PCs (+25 percent).Singapore's total trade in November grew 8.2 percent to $74.5 billion, the agency said.Malaysia continues to be Singapore's top world trading partner, accounting for 13 percent or $100.3 billion of its total trade of $774.1 billion for the January-November period.