2026.09.1804:06:40UTC+00Malaysia Trade Surplus Beats Forecasts

Malaysia’s trade surplus rose to MYR 28.1 billion in August 2026, up from MYR 15.9 billion a year earlier and exceeding market expectations of MYR 25.3 billion, as export growth outpaced imports. Exports surged 45.5% year-on-year to MYR 191.1 billion, driven primarily by a 50.4% increase in manufactured goods, which made up 88.8% of total exports. Within this category, exports of electrical and electronic (E&E) products expanded by 66.5%.

By destination, exports recorded strong gains to the US (130.4%), Singapore (58.5%), China (19.9%), Taiwan (102.2%), and the EU (20.0%).

Imports climbed 41.1% year-on-year to MYR 163.0 billion, largely reflecting robust growth in intermediate goods (50.5%) and capital goods (37.4%), while imports of consumption goods declined by 1.6%. Import growth was particularly strong from China (61.3%), Singapore (59.1%), and Taiwan (68.9%).

For the first eight months of the year, the trade surplus jumped 127.6% year-on-year to MYR 198.7 billion, with exports up 31.2% and imports rising 22.4%.