Malaysia's trade surplus increased to MYR 10.4 billion in December of 2018 from MYR 7.4 billion in the same month of the prior year and beating market expectations of a MYR 7.4 billion surplus. Exports rose 4.8 percent, above market consensus of a 2.4 percent increase, mainly due to sales of electrical & electronic products and chemicals & chemical products. Meantime, imports went up at a slower 1.1 percent, missing estimates of a 1.3 percent gain. Higher purchases of intermediate goods and consumer goods were partly offset by a slump in those of capital goods. Balance of Trade in Malaysia averaged 3401.90 MYR Million from 1970 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 16313.37 MYR Million in October of 2018 and a record low of -2880.61 MYR Million in June of 1997.

Balance of Trade in Malaysia is expected to be 5100.00 MYR Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in Malaysia to stand at 7000.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Malaysia Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 10200.00 MYR Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.

Malaysia Balance of Trade
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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2018-11-05 04:00 AM Balance of Trade MYR15.3B MYR1.6B MYR7.3B MYR 7.2B
2018-12-05 04:00 AM Balance of Trade MYR16.3B MYR15.3B MYR12.5B MYR 8.9B
2019-01-04 04:00 AM Balance of Trade MYR7.6B MYR16.3B MYR11.5B MYR15B
2019-01-30 09:00 AM Balance of Trade MYR10.4B MYR7.8B MYR7.4B MYR9.6B
2019-03-04 04:00 AM Balance of Trade MYR10.4B
2019-04-04 04:00 AM Balance of Trade
2019-05-03 04:00 AM Balance of Trade



Malaysia Trade Surplus Widens 41.6% YoY in December

Malaysia's trade surplus increased to MYR 10.4 billion in December of 2018 from MYR 7.4 billion in the same month of the prior year and beating market expectations of a MYR 7.4 billion surplus. Exports rose 4.8 percent, above market consensus of a 2.4 percent increase, mainly due to sales of electrical & electronic products and chemicals & chemical products. Meantime, imports went up at a slower 1.1 percent, missing estimates of a 1.3 percent gain. Higher purchases of intermediate goods and consumer goods were partly offset by a slump in those of capital goods.

Year-on-year, exports surged 4.8 percent to MYR 83.3 billion in December of 2018, after a 1.6 percent gain in November and better than market consensus of a 2.4 percent rise. Shipments were sustained by demand for manufactured goods, namely electrical and electronic goods (14.2 percent); chemicals and chemical products (36.6 percent); crude petroleum (17.5 percent); optical and scientific equipment (14.6 percent); machinery (7.6 percent) and rubber products (4.8 percent). Conversely, declines were registered for: palm oil and palm oil-based products (-24.4 percent); refined petroleum products (-5.3 percent); liquefied natural gas (LNG) (-2.7 percent) and natural rubber (-15.7 percent). External sales rose to the US (13.5 percent), Singapore (12.2 percent) and Hong Kong (25.6 percent) but fell to China (-0.5 percent) and Japan (-6.4 percent).

Imports increased 1 percent from a year earlier to MYR 72.8 billion, following a 5 percent jump in the prior month and below estimates of a 1.3 percent gain. Purchases advanced for intermediate goods (3.1 percent), especially industrial supplies, processed (10 percent); industrial supplies, primary (28.6 percent) and fuels & lubricants,primary (19.1 percent); and consumer goods (5.7 percent), namely food and beverages for household consumption (17.4 percent). Meanwhile, a sharp decrease was recorded for capital goods (-21.7 percent), namely transport equipment (-75.9 percent).

Considering the full year of 2018, the trade surplus surged 22.1 percent to MYR 120.3 billion compared to MYR 98.5 billion in 2017, the fastest rate in a decade. It is the 21st consecutive year of trade surplus since 1998 and in 2018 the country posted the largest tarde surplus since 2012. Exports grew 6.7 percent and purchases increased at a slower 4.9 percent. Asean remained an important and strategic trading partner for Malaysia, accounting for 27.1% of Malaysia’s total trade in 2018, valued at MYR 509.2 billion; and Malaysia’s trade with China amounted to MYR 313.81 billion.

Malaysia’s total trade is projected to grow moderately by 5 percent in 2019 from 5.9 percent in 2018 due to uncertainties in the global market, said the International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Darell Leiking.


Department of Statistics, Malaysia l Luisa Carvalho | luisa.carvalho@tradingeconomics.com
1/30/2019 12:01:18 PM


News

Malaysia Trade Surplus Smallest in 3 Months
Malaysia's trade surplus narrowed sharply to MYR 7.6 billion in November of 2018 from MYR 9.9 billion in the same month of the prior year and far below market expectations of a surplus of MYR 11.5 billion. It was the smallest trade surplus since August, as exports rose less than imports
Published on 2019-01-04

Malaysia Posts Largest Trade Surplus in 21 Years
Malaysia's trade surplus widened sharply to MYR 16.3 billion in October of 2018 from MYR 10 billion in the same month of the prior year and far above market expectations of a surplus of MYR 12.5 billion. It was the largest trade surplus since October 1997, when trade balance posted a deficit MYR 0.15 billion, mainly due to a surge in exports.
Published on 2018-12-05

Malaysia Trade Surplus Largest in a Decade
Malaysia's trade surplus widened sharply to MYR 15.3 billion in September of 2018 from MYR 8.2 billion in the same month of the prior year and easily beating market expectations of a surplus of MYR 7.3 billion. It was the largest trade surplus since September 2008, as exports rebounded while imports shrank unexpectedly.
Published on 2018-11-05

Malaysia Trade Surplus Smallest in Near 5-1/2 Years
Malaysia's trade surplus narrowed sharply to MYR 1.6 billion in August of 2018 from MYR 9.9 billion in the same month of the prior year and far below market estimates of a MYR 9 billion surplus. It is the smallest trade surplus since April 2013, as exports fell while imports surged.
Published on 2018-10-05



Malaysia Trade Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Balance of Trade 10429.18 7842.36 16313.37 -2880.61 MYR Million [+]
Current Account 10834.00 3784.00 39982.00 978.00 MYR Million [+]
Current Account to GDP 1.30 3.10 17.10 -13.20 percent [+]
Imports 72844.93 77018.62 80197.13 313.60 MYR Million [+]
Exports 83274.10 84861.00 96363.90 328.10 MYR Million [+]
External Debt 924887.22 947877.65 947877.65 9063.00 MYR Million [+]
Terms of Trade 98.20 96.90 117.20 92.50 Index Points [+]
Tourism Revenues 82200.00 82098.20 82200.00 8580.50 MYR Million [+]
Tourist Arrivals 2092378.00 2253534.00 2806565.00 459374.00 [+]
Gold Reserves 38.90 38.90 38.90 35.46 Tonnes [+]
Crude Oil Production 606.00 675.00 791.00 489.00 BBL/D/1K [+]
Terrorism Index 2.70 3.33 3.58 0.00 [+]
Capital Flows 164.26 9114.33 51408.25 -71566.30 MYR Million [+]
Foreign Direct Investment 12882.00 4299.00 37325.00 2452.00 MYR Million [+]

Exports by Country  |   Exports by Category  |   Imports by Country  |   Imports by Category



Malaysia Balance of Trade

International trade plays a large role in Malaysian economy. Since 1998, Malaysia have been reporting consistent trade surpluses, mainly due to rise in exports of electrical and electronics products. In 2015, the biggest trade surpluses were recorded with Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and United States while the biggest trade deficits with China and Taiwan. . This page provides the latest reported value for - Malaysia Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Malaysia Balance of Trade - actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2019.

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
10429.18 7842.36 16313.37 -2880.61 1970 - 2018 MYR Million Monthly




Country Last Previous
Argentina 372.00 Jan/19
Australia 3681.00 Dec/18
Brazil 2190.00 Jan/19
Canada -2060.10 Nov/18
China 391.60 Jan/19
Euro Area 16990.70 Dec/18
France -4653.00 Dec/18
Germany 13900.00 Dec/18
India -14730.00 Jan/19
Indonesia -1159.50 Jan/19
Italy 3658.00 Dec/18
Japan -1415.36 Jan/19
Mexico 1836.32 Dec/18
Netherlands 3572.00 Dec/18
Russia 18856.00 Dec/18
Saudi Arabia 184673.00 Sep/18
Singapore 2415.21 Jan/19
South Africa 17167.41 Dec/18
South Korea 1336.00 Jan/19
Spain -3247399.00 Dec/18
Switzerland 1388.18 Jan/19
Turkey -2674.41 Dec/18
United Kingdom -3229.00 Dec/18
United States -49313.00 Nov/18


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