OVERALL BALANCE OF PAYMENTS

In the third quarter 2015, Malaysia's Balance of Payments recorded a lower surplus in current account of RM5.1 billion as compared to RM7.6 billion in the previous quarter. In the meantime, financial account posted an outflow of RM31.2 billion (Q2 2015: inflow RM2.3 billion) and international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia recorded an increase of RM17.0 billion from an increase of RM8.5 billion in Q2 2015.

CURRENT ACCOUNT

The lower surplus of current account was due to higher deficit in primary income account of RM10.3 billion (Q2 2015: deficit RM5.1 billion) and services account of RM5.9 billion (Q2 2015: deficit RM4.6 billion). Meanwhile, goods account registered a higher surplus of RM27.1 billion (Q2 2015: RM23.3 billion) and secondary income account posted a lower deficit of RM5.9 billion (Q2 2015: deficit RM6.0 billion).

On a gross basis, exports of goods recorded a higher value to record RM174.9 billion (Q2 2015: RM163.2 billion), an increase by 7.2 per cent from last quarter. In the same direction, imports of goods also showed a higher value of RM147.7 billion (Q2 2015: RM139.9 billion).

Services account registered a higher export of RM34.1 billion from RM32.9 billion last quarter mainly due to higher in telecommunications, computer and information services of RM2.8 billion (Q2 2015: RM2.4 billion). Imports of services increased by 6.9 per cent to RM40.0 billion (Q2 2015: RM37.4 billion) mainly due to higher travel item of RM10.5 billion from RM9.5 billion in Q2 2015.

CAPITAL ACCOUNT

In Q3 2015, capital account posted a net outflow of RM30.0 million compared to RM1.1 billion in the last quarter. This was attributed to lower net payments on nonproduced nonfinancial assets outflow by RM1.1 billion.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNT

The financial account recorded a net outflow of RM31.2 billion from an inflow of  RM2.3 billion last quarter, mainly attributed to a turnaround in other investment component to net outflow of RM6.4 billion (inflow Q2 2015: RM18.4 billion).

Direct Investment Abroad (DIA) recorded a lower net outflow of RM5.0 billion (Q2 2015: outflow RM16.4 billion). Meanwhile, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Malaysia showed a decrease to record RM4.7 billion (Q2 2015: RM12.5 billion).

RESERVE ASSETS

The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia as at end of September 2015 was RM415.1 billion, an increase by RM17.0 billion from a quarter ago.

Download: Summary Table of Balance of Payments, 2014 - 2015