Malaysia Handelsbilanzsaldo

Malaysia's trade surplus plunged to MYR 3.6 billion in January 2025 from MYR 10.2 billion in the same month of 2023, far below market estimates for a gain of MYR 14.1 billion. It was the smallest trade surplus since April 2020 when the trade balance posted a deficit, mainly due to a surge in imports. Exports rose by 0.3% yoy to MYR 122.8 billion, easing sharply from a 16.9% surge in December and much softer than estimates of 5%, mainly boosted by sales of manufacturing (0.4%) and agriculture (11.0%), while mining & quarrying plunged (-12.6%). Meantime, imports grew by 6.2% to MYR 119.2 billion, much more than forecasts of 2.5%, due to rises in capital goods (45.9%) and intermediate goods (3.3%). By contrast, exports of consumption goods fell by 2.6%. In 2024, the trade surplus plunged by 36.4% from the previous year to MYR 136.8 billion, as imports (13.2%) rose much faster than exports (5.7%).