Singapore companies continued to invest and expand overseas in 2011. According to International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, direct investment outflows totalled S$31.7 billion, a 9.7% on-year increase.

Cumulative Direct Investment Abroad (DIA) also grew, totalling S$393.3 billion at the end of 2010, a 8.9% increase compared with 2009. In all, cumulative DIA was 27% above gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010.

Trade grew 8% in 2011, surpassing the 5.8% forecast by the World Trade Organization for world merchandise trade growth.

Compared with 2010, exports in 2011 grew on-year:

• Export of goods: +7.5%
• Export of services: +4.8%
• Non-oil domestic exports: +2.2%

Meanwhile, offshore trade grew 45.6% on-year in 2011, totalling S$1.29 trillion.

IE Singapore also noted that it aided 34,400 companies, including many small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in their internationalisation efforts.

It dispensed S$926 million in financing loans and S$60.2 million in grants. In addition, IE Singapore supported 336 overseas projects, of which 104 were based in China.