By Matthew Thompson

SINGAPORE has topped a new study of global innovation and competitiveness, which shows the United States rapidly losing its edge and suggests the future belongs to Asia.

The survey, carried out by a non-partisan research group, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, places the US at No. 6 with an overall score of 63.9 out of 100, almost 10 percentage points behind Singapore's top score of 73.4.

The results, released yesterday, contradict many similar research papers which in recent years have confirmed America's position at the top. But its authors suggest the US is now trading on past reputation, not current reality.

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