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SINGAPORE: Singapore\u2019s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 4.6 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, moderating from the 5.7 per cent growth recorded in the previous quarter, according to advanced estimates released by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Tuesday (Apr 14).<\/p>\n
On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, the economy contracted by 0.3 per cent, reversing the 1.3 per cent expansion in the final quarter of 2025.<\/p>\n
MTI said that while overall growth “remained resilient” in the first quarter of 2026, the Middle East conflict could weigh on economic activity in the coming months.<\/p>\n
The preliminary GDP estimates for the first quarter of 2026, including performance by sectors, sources of growth, inflation, employment and productivity, will be released in the Economic Survey of Singapore in May.<\/span><\/p>\n Growth in the manufacturing sector increased by 5 per cent year-on-year, down from 11.4 per cent expansion in the previous quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGrowth during the quarter was driven by output expansions in the electronics, transport engineering and precision engineering clusters, which more than offset output declines in the biomedical manufacturing, general manufacturing and chemicals clusters,\u201d said MTI.<\/span><\/p>\n On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the sector contracted by 4.9 per cent, reflecting a pullback from the 4.5 per cent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n The construction expanded by 9 per cent year-on-year, up from 4.6 per cent in the previous quarter. The growth was supported by a step-up in both public and private sector construction works, said MTI.<\/span><\/p>\n On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the sector increased by 3.7 per cent, faster than the 0.2 per cent expansion in the preceding quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n The services, wholesale and retail trade, as well as transportation and storage sectors collectively expanded by 6.7 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, extending the 6.8 per cent growth in the previous quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n All sectors within the group recorded growth.<\/span><\/p>\n Wholesale trade was supported by stronger activity in machinery, equipment and supplies, while transportation and storage benefited from gains in storage and other support services segments.<\/span><\/p>\nSECTORAL PERFORMANCE<\/span><\/h2>\n