SINGAPORE: Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 15.3 per cent in March, as strong AI-related demand boosted electronics shipments, according to figures released by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) on Friday (Apr 17).
This marks the seventh consecutive month of expansion, following February’s 4 per cent growth. NODX grew 9.6 per cent for the first quarter of 2026.
The higher-than-expected increase, which beat Bloomberg estimates, was led by a surge in electronics exports. These grew 74 per cent from a year earlier, supported by strong AI-related demand and a low base.
The increase was driven mainly by integrated circuits (ICs), which surged 113.8 per cent, disk media products, up 78.3 per cent, and personal computers (PCs), which rose 57.3 per cent.
Non-electronic NODX fell last month by 0.6 per cent, but at a much slower pace than the 6.9 per cent decrease in February.
The decline was driven by structures of ships and boats, food preparations and pharmaceuticals, which dropped 99.8 per cent, 42 per cent and 18.4 per cent, respectively.
Among key markets, NODX to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan rose substantially in March, while exports to Indonesia, the European Union, the United States and Thailand declined.
On a year-on-year basis, total trade expanded by 38.5 per cent in March as both exports and imports grew.