The manufacturing sector contracted for the fifth straight month in November 2011.

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) was 48.7 points, a 0.8 decline from the month of October.

A PMI reading above 50 indicates the manufacturing sector is generally expanding while a reading under 50 indicates a contraction.

According to the Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management (SIPMM) the dip was due to a drop in production output. There were declines in new and new export orders.

However, stocks of finished goods and input prices reversed their downward trend to expand in November.

The electronics sector meanwhile recorded a PMI of 50.9 in November, following the 52.1 point expansion the previous month.