Singapore manufacturing slows further in March

There is more confirmation of the slowdown trend in Asia and Singapore in particular.

Singapore's purchasing managers' index fell for a second consecutive month in March, to 50.8 from 51.5 in February.

"The dip of the overall PMI was attributed to lower new orders and new export orders, as well as lower levels of production output," the Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management said on its survey findings.

The electronics sector sub-index fell only slightly to 53.5 points from 53.9 points in February, lending weight to forecasts that the sector's slowdown may be coming to an end (see also "Electronics stocks still underperforming").