
The growth was fuelled by an expansion of 7.5 percent in manufacturing sector, 3.7 percent in information-communications, finance-banking and professional services.
The construction sector contracted by 20.2 percent year-on-year, improving from the 35.9 percent decline in the previous quarter. The improvement came on the back of a pickup in public and private sector construction activities in the first quarter as compared to the previous quarter, said the Singaporean Ministry of Industry and Trade .
Last year, Singapore’s gross domestic product suffered a 5.4 percent contraction, marking the first recession since 2001.
In a report released in February, the ministry forecast that Singapore’s economy will recover gradually this year and achieve a growth of 4-6 percent./.