Exports decline for 2nd straight month
Economists expect exports to grow at more muted pace this year
Exports continued to disappoint for the second straight month in March, hit by a triple whammy of high base effects, cooling electronics demand and a strengthening Singdollar.
The decline comes at a time when global trade tensions are growing, which can have repercussions on a small, trade-dependent nation like Singapore.
Even so, economists expect shipments to grow for the rest of this year, albeit at a more muted pace compared with last year's double-digit increases.
Official data out yesterday showed non-oil domestic exports (Nodx) fell by 2.7 per cent last month, lower than already muted economist expectations of a 1.2 per cent growth. But this still fared better than February's revised contraction of 6 per cent - the first decline after four months of growth.
Economist said last month's export decline was a culmination of several ongoing trends.
Headline figures were weighed down, thanks to last year's high base and the translation effects from the Singdollar's appreciation against the greenback.
The moderation of electronics shipments from last year's breakneck pace is also in line with economist projections.
Dr Tan Khay Boon, senior lecturer at SIM Global Education, said: "The decline in Nodx in March is not surprising as exceptionally strong demand for manufacturing output is difficult to sustain. The saving grace appears to be the more moderated decline in Nodx compared to the previous month."
Electronic Nodx - a key economic driver this past year - fell 7.1 per cent in March, easing from the 12.7 per cent fall in February.
Non-electronic Nodx also fell last month, but by a milder 1.3 per cent compared with the 3.3 per cent decline in February.
Economists were cautious but believed exports will regain ground this year.
"Manufacturing growth will likely remain positive, but ease to the low single digit by the year end," said Maybank economists Chua Hak Bin and Lee Ju Ye.
United Overseas Bank economist Francis Tan concurred that export growth is likely to slow. He maintains a Nodx forecast of 6.5 per cent, down from 8.8 per cent last year.
Not all market watchers are so upbeat. Nomura economists Euben Paracuelles and Brian Tan see the Singapore economy as "susceptible to any escalation in trade protectionism or a tech cycle downturn".
They said: "Overall, we continue to believe the weak Nodx data reflects poor export competitiveness, which has been eroded by high labour costs."
Economists cited the trade dispute between China and the US as a key downside risk to Singapore's exports.
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