Overview

KEY FACTS

YEARLY

• In 2018, Malaysia’s exports nearly reached RM1 trillion mark which valued at RM998.0 billion with 6.7% growth year-on-year (y-o-y), while imports amounted to RM877.7 billion (+4.9%) resulting in a record high of total trade of RM1.9 trillion (+5.9%).
• On a y-o-y basis, the rise in exports was contributed by expansion in exports to Hong Kong (+RM26.8 billion), China (+RM12.9 billion), Taiwan (+RM8.6 billion), Viet Nam (+RM6.6 billion) and Thailand (+RM6.3billion).
• On a y-o-y basis, higher imports were mainly from China (+RM10.5 billion), Singapore (+RM10.1 billion), Taiwan (+RM8.8 billion), Saudi Arabia  (+RM7.2 billion) and European Union (+RM5.1billion).

QUARTERLY

• In 4th quarter 2018, exports recorded an increase of 8.0% y-o-y to RM264.5 billion. Re-exports was valued at RM50.8 billion rising 29.2% and accounted for 19.2% of total exports. Domestic exports rose 4.0% to RM213.7 billion compared to the previous year.
• Imports also registered an increase of 5.7% y-o-y to RM229.9 billion.
• On a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis, exports rose 5.4% from RM250.9 billion.
• On a q-o-q basis, imports was also increased 1.8% from RM225.7 billion.
• On a y-o-y basis, export growth was contributed by expansion in exports to Hong Kong (+RM4.4 billion), Singapore (+RM4.2 billion), China (+RM4.1 billion), Taiwan (+RM3.0 billion) and Viet Nam (+RM1.9 billion).
• On a y-o-y basis, higher imports were mainly from Taiwan (+RM2.4 billion), Republic of Korea (+RM1.7 billion), Saudi Arabia (+RM1.7 billion), Indonesia (+RM1.5 billion) and China (+RM1.5billion).

MONTHLY

• Exports in December 2018 increased 4.8% or RM3.8 billion (y-o-y) to   RM83.3 billion. Re-exports was valued at RM14.1billion with an increase of 16.3% and accounted for 16.9% of total exports. Domestic exports also recorded an increase of 2.7% or RM1.8 billion to RM69.2 billion.
• Imports increased marginally 1.0% y-o-y to RM72.8billion.
• On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, exports decreased 1.9% or RM1.6 billion from RM84.9 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, exports decreased 2.2%.
• On a m-o-m basis, imports also dropped 5.4% or RM4.2 billion from RM77.0 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, imports also decreased 8.6%.
• On a y-o-y basis, export growth was contributed by expansion in exports to Hong Kong (+RM1.3 billion), Singapore (+RM1.3 billion), United States (+RM939.6 million), Australia (+RM546.7 million) and  India (+RM518.9million).
• On a y-o-y basis, higher imports were mainly from China (+RM967.2million), United States (+RM615.6 million), Republic of Korea (+RM537.6 million), Taiwan (+RM498.9 million) and Brunei (+RM221.4 million).

TRADE

Total trade which was valued at RM156.1 billion increased RM4.5 billion or 3.0% on a y-o-y basis. However, it declined RM5.8 billion or 3.6% when compared to November 2018. The trade surplus was RM10.4 billion, an increase of RM3.1 billion (+41.6%) from a year ago. It was also higher by RM2.6 billion (+33.0%) when compared to the previous month.

EXPORTS

On a y-o-y basis, exports increased 4.8% to RM83.3 billion. The main products which contributed to the increase were:

• Electrical and electronic (E&E) products (39.4% of total exports), increased RM4.1 billion (+14.2%) to RM32.8 billion;
• Crude petroleum, which contributed 3.8% to total exports increased RM474.1 million or 17.5% to RM3.2 billion due to the increase in both average unit value (+9.0%) and export volume (+7.7%); and
• Timber and timber-based products, which contributed 2.2% to total exports, recorded an increase of RM8.7 million or 0.5% to RM1.8 billion.

However, declines were recorded for the following products:

• Palm oil and palm oil-based products (5.8% of total exports), shrank RM1.6 billion (-24.4%) to RM4.8 billion. Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products declined RM627.0 million or 19.2% due to the decrease in average unit value (-21.3%) as export volume increased 2.7%;
• Refined petroleum products, which accounted for 5.3% of total exports, fell RM246.4 million or 5.3% to RM4.4 billion due to the decline in export volume (-13.2%) as average unit value increased 9.1%;
• Liquefied natural gas (LNG), which accounted for 4.9% of total exports decreased RM114.2 million or 2.7% to RM4.1 billion due to the decrease in export volume (-15.9%) as average unit value increased 15.7%; and
• Natural rubber (0.3% of total exports) decreased RM50.7 million or 15.7% to RM271.8 million due to the decline in both average unit value (-9.1%) and export volume (-7.3%).

On a m-o-m basis, exports decreased RM1.6 billion (-1.9%) from RM84.9 billion. The main products which contributed to the decrease were:

• Refined petroleum products dropped RM2.2 billion or 33.1% from RM6.5 billion due to the decrease in both export volume (-22.4%) and average unit value (-13.8%);
• Palm oil and palm oil-based products decreased RM734.1 million or 13.2% from RM5.5 billion. Exports of palm oil decreased RM517.7 million or 16.4% due to the decrease in both export volume (-11.7%) and average unit value (-5.3%);
• LNG dropped RM443.8 million (-9.7%) from RM4.6 billion due to the decrease in export volume (-10.7%) as average unit value increased 1.0%;
• Timber and timber-based products fell RM111.7 million (-5.7%) from  RM2.0 billion; and
• Natural  rubber  decreased  RM33.0 million  or  10.8%  from  RM304.8 million  due  to  the  decrease  in  both  export  volume  (-9.0%) and average unit value (-2.0%).

However, increases were recorded for the following products:

• E&E products increased RM1.6 billion (+5.2%) from RM31.2 billion; and
• Crude petroleum increased RM321.8 million or 11.2% from RM2.9 billion due to the increase in export volume (+28.3%) as average unit value decreased 13.3%.

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, exports decreased RM1.7billion  (-2.2%) to RM79.2 billion.

Exports, 2014-2018

IMPORTS

On a y-o-y basis, imports increased 1.0% to RM72.8 billion. The increase in imports was contributed by intermediate goods and consumption goods.

• Intermediate Goods

These goods which constituted 54.3% of total imports rose RM1.2 billion (+3.1%) to RM39.5 billion. The increase was mainly attributed to industrial supplies, processed (+RM1.5 billion, +10.0%), industrial supplies, primary (+RM538.2 million, +28.6%), fuel & lubricants, primary (+RM502.8 million, +19.1%), fuel & lubricants, processed, others (+RM360.0 million, +26.9%) and parts & accessories of transport equipment (+RM200.0 million, +8.4%). However, parts & accessories of capital goods (except transport equipment) recorded a decrease of RM2.0 billion or 14.0%.

• Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods which constituted for 9.0% of total imports recorded an increase of RM352.9 million (+5.7%) to RM6.6 billion. The increase was mainly attributed to food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption (+RM297.3 million, +17.4%).

• Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods, which accounted for 13.0% of total imports, declined RM2.6 billion (-21.7%) to RM9.5 billion due to the decrease in transport equipment, industrial (-RM2.7 billion, -75.9%). However, capital goods (except transport equipment)registered a marginal growth of0.5% or RM39.0 million.

On a m-o-m basis, imports decreased RM4.2 billion or 5.4% from RM77.0 billion. The decrease in imports was attributed to capital goods, intermediate goods and consumption goods.

• Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods reduced RM764.7 million (-7.5%) from RM10.2 billion  due  to  the  decrease  in  both  transport  equipment,  industrial  (-RM532.3 million, -38.7%)  and  capital  goods  (except  transport  equipment)  (-RM232.3 billion,  -2.6%).

• Intermediate Goods

These goods shrank RM684.4 million (-1.7%) from RM40.2billion. The main components which attributed to the decrease were fuel & lubricants, processed, others (-RM864.0 million, -33.7%) and industrial supplies, processed (-RM724.4 million, -4.3%).However, fuel & lubricants, primary and industrial supplies, primary increased RM739.0 million or 30.8% and   RM276.9 million or 12.9% respectively.

• Consumption Goods

Imports of these goods declined RM51.3 million (-0.8%) from  RM6.6 billion.  The  decrease  was  mainly  due  to  durables  (-RM187.7 million, -18.5%) and non-durables (-RM103.9 million, -6.4%). However, an increase was recorded in food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption (+RM131.4 million, +7.0%), food & beverages, primary, mainly for household consumption(+RM54.6 million, +7.1%) and semi-durables (+RM51.6 million, +4.0%).

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, imports decreased RM6.6 billion  (-8.6%) to RM70.5billion.

Imports, 2014-2018

MARKET SHARE

The following charts show Malaysia's major trading partners for January - December 2018.

Total Trade by Major Countries, Jan – Dec 2018, percentage share

Exports and Imports by Major Countries, Jan – Dec 2018, percentage share

The following charts show Malaysia’s trade with ASEAN countries for January - December 2018.

 Exports, Jan - Dec 2018, percentage share

Imports, Jan – Dec 2018, percentage share

Notes:

# The December 2018 data is provisional and subject to revision in later issues.

Released By:

DATO' SRI DR. MOHD UZIR MAHIDIN
CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
 DrUzir_Mahidin       Dr_Uzir

30 JANUARY 2019

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