Services

Business Receipts Index (BRI)

The Business Receipts Index (BRI) measures the short-term performance of the services industries (excluding Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, Accommodation & Food Services) based on the operating revenue of services establishments. The base year for the index is 2014. The BRI measures the change in operating revenue at current prices which can result from changes in both price and quantity.

Depreciation (DEPR)

This refers to the value, at current replacement cost, of reproducible fixed assets such as buildings, plants and machinery used during a period of time as a result of normal wear and tear, foreseen obsolescence and the normal rate of accidental damage.

E-commerce Revenue

Refers to the revenue earned from the sale of goods and services whereby the company receives orders or agrees on the price and terms of sale via online means. This includes transactions through your company's website, third-party websites (e.g., online marketplaces, food delivery platforms), mobile applications, extranet or Electronic Data Interchange (e.g., GeBIZ, which is the Singapore Government’s one-stop e-procurement portal), regardless of how or where the goods and services are delivered or collected. This excludes agreement through telephone calls, facsimile and emails. Payment may or may not be made online.

Enterprise

Refers to an incorporated or registered entity (such as company, sole-proprietorship, partnership, association or society, etc).

Establishment (ESTAB)

Defined as a business or organisation unit engaged in one activity and operating in a single location. Thus, for a multi-activity firm or organisation, units engaged in separate activities in the same location constitute distinct establishments. Similarly, each branch of a multi-branch organisation at a different location is conceptually a different establishment.

Gross Operating Surplus

The surplus accruing to owners from production before deducting any explicit or implicit interest charges, rent or other property incomes payable on the financial assets, land and other natural resources required to carry on the production. Estimates for GOS is mainly derived as the value of firms' operating receipts less their operating expenditure, plus depreciation of their fixed assets.

Net Weighted Balance

Used in the measure of Business Expectations, to indicate the likely overall direction of change of a particular activity or industry. Net weighted balance is calculated by taking the difference between the weighted percentages of 'ups' and 'downs'.

A positive net weighted balance indicates an upward trend while a negative net weighted balance indicates a downward trend.

Operating Expenditure

Refers to all expenditure incurred by the establishment in its business, with adjustment for changes in inventory. It includes remuneration, purchases, indirect taxes, work given out, rental and maintenance of machinery and equipment, legal, accounting and other professional services, rental and maintenance of premises, depreciation, transport and travelling, utilities, advertisement, entertainment, stationery and printing, postage and telecommunications, fuel, freight charges and other expenses that are connected with the establishment’s operation. 

Operating Revenue (OR)

Refers to income earned from business operations. For Services industry, operating revenue includes income from services rendered, sale of goods, commission fees and rental of premises, machinery and equipment. For Utilities industry, operating revenue includes income from supply or resale of utilities (e.g. electricity, gas, water), resale of goods other than utilities (e.g. recycled materials), provision of environmental health services which includes treatment and disposal of waste.

Remuneration

Includes three components, namely, wages and salaries, employers' contribution to Central Provident Fund (CPF)/pension funds and other benefits.

  1. Wages and Salaries
    Refers to gross emoluments paid to employees during the reference year, inclusive of commissions, bonuses, overtime pay and allowances before deduction of employees' contribution to CPF or any other deduction. For proprietors or partners, the item refers to amount paid to or withdrawn by them during the year. However, this amount is not included in the tables.
  2. Employers' Contribution to CPF/Pension Funds
    Refers to the net amount contributed by employers towards their employees' CPF/pension funds. It does not include the amount paid to retired employees under company pension scheme.
  3. Other benefits
    Comprises medical benefits, cost of food, and accommodation, and other benefits in kind provided by employers. Allowances given to unpaid family workers are also included here.
  4. Directors' Fee
    Refers only to the amount paid to directors for attending board of directors' meetings. It does not include the fees paid to directors who are actively engaged in running the establishment.

Retail Sales Index (RSI) and Food & Beverage Services Index (FSI)

The Retail Sales Index (RSI) and Food & Beverage Services Index (FSI) measure the short-term performance of the retail trade and food & beverage (F&B) services industries based on the sales records of retail trade and F&B services establishments respectively. The base year for the indices is 2017. The RSI and FSI are available at current prices and in chained volume terms. The indices at current prices measure the change in sales values which can result from changes in both price and quantity, while the indices in chained volume terms measure the change in the volume of economic activity by removing the price effect.

Wholesale Trade Index (WTI)

The Wholesale Trade Index (WTI) measures the short-term performance of the wholesale trade industry based on the sales records of wholesale establishments. The index series consist of the Domestic WTI and Foreign WTI. The Domestic WTI measures the trend of wholesale sales in Singapore, while the Foreign WTI measures that of wholesale sales outside Singapore, comprising sales of off-shore merchandise, domestic exports, re-exports and transshipment cargo. The base year for the indices is 2017.

The Domestic WTI and Foreign WTI are available at current prices and in chained volume terms. The indices at current prices measure the change in sales values which can result from changes in both price and quantity, while the indices in chained volume terms measure the change in the volume of economic activity by removing the price effect.

Value Added

Gross value added is derived by the output or income approach.
 
The output approach measures value added as output less intermediate consumption. Output refers to the value of goods and services produced while intermediate consumption is value of goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, e.g. materials, utilities, fuel, rental paid for premises and equipment, banking and financial charges and other operating costs.

The income approach derives value added as the sum of incomes generated from the domestic production of goods and services, which comprise gross operating surplus, remuneration and taxes (less subsidies) on production.