2026.03.1204:18:32UTC+00Malaysia Retail Sales Growth Slows to 5-Month Low

Retail sales in Malaysia increased by 6.1% year-on-year in January 2026, easing from a 6.9% rise in December. This marked the weakest pace of growth since August 2025, reflecting softer sales across most categories, particularly:

• Non-specialised stores (7.9% vs 9.3% in December)
• Other goods in specialised stores (5.4% vs 5.6%)
• Automotive fuel in specialised stores (7.0% vs 7.4%)
• Information and communication equipment in specialised stores (3.9% vs 5.9%)
• Food, beverages, and tobacco in specialised stores (5.6% vs 6.5%)

By contrast, growth picked up slightly for:

• Other household equipment in specialised stores (3.3% vs 3.1%)
• Cultural and recreational goods in specialised stores (4.2% vs 3.9%)

On a month-on-month basis, retail sales declined by 0.3% in January, reversing a 2.0% gain in December.