SINGAPORE, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a key early indicator of manufacturing activity, dipped 0.1 points from February to 50.6 in March, according to the Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management (SIPMM).

A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion in the manufacturing sector, while a reading below 50 signals contraction. The electronics sector PMI also saw a slight decline, slipping 0.1 points to 50.9.

While the latest reading marked the 19th consecutive month of expansion, SIPMM Executive Director Stephen Poh noted rising concerns over the sustainability of growth.

"Global trade risks have heightened due to ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions," he said, quoted by the local newspaper The Business Times.

DBS economist Han Teng Chua said that Singapore's small open economy remains highly vulnerable to a potential global economic slowdown driven by rising protectionism. Enditem

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