Malaysia Export Growth Eases to 1.9% in August

Exports from Malaysia grew by 1.9% yoy to MYR 131.6 billion in August 2025, following a downwardly revised 6.5% increase in the previous month. This marked the 2nd consecutive month of annual export growth, primarily driven by higher shipments to China (10.4%), Taiwan (32.7%), and the EU (9.7%). In contrast, exports to the US plunged by 16.7%, weighed down by new US tariffs. By sector, exports of manufactured goods climbed by 1.7%, driven primarily by higher shipments of electrical and electronic products (10.1%), machinery, equipment & parts (14.5%), and optical & scientific equipment (14.7%). Meanwhile, agriculture exports rose by 4.5%, supported by strong demand for palm oil and palm-based products (9.7%). In contrast, mining shipments declined by 2.4%, weighed down by lower exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) (-2.6%) and crude petroleum (-28.8%). For the first eight months of 2025, total exports advanced by 3.9% to MYR 1.03 trillion, compared to the same period a year earlier.