Organization: Singapore's external demand for materials is expected to remain strong.

RHB Bank Group's Chief Economist and Head of Market Research, Barnabas Gan, stated in a report that Singapore's external demand is expected to remain strong until the end of 2026, driven by the continued strength in the manufacturing and trade-related industries. Manufacturing performance is expected to benefit from the expansion of electronic and non-electronic product exports, the spillover effects of the global upturn in electronic products, and steady regional demand. Gan said, "External trade is expected to continue to be a key growth engine, with the underlying structural shift toward deepening intra-Asian connections." RHB has raised its growth forecast for Singapore in 2026 from 2.6% to 3.0%.