2026.03.1904:21:41UTC+00Malaysia Trade Surplus at 3-Month Low

Malaysia’s trade surplus widened to MYR 16.7 billion in February 2026 from MYR 12.6 billion a year earlier, but came in below market expectations of MYR 20.8 billion and represented the smallest surplus since November 2025. Exports rose 10.8% year-on-year to MYR 131 billion, the lowest level in eight months. Higher shipments of manufacturing goods (12.8%), mining products (12.3%), and other sectors (30.4%) more than offset a sharp decline in agricultural exports (-16.4%). By destination, export growth was strongest to the US (42.3%), Taiwan (65.9%), and the EU (33.9%).

Imports increased 8.2% year-on-year to MYR 114.2 billion, also an eight-month low, driven by higher purchases of manufactured goods (15.1%), while imports of agricultural products (-26%) and mining products (-37.2%) fell. Import growth was led by China (27.3%), South Korea (86.8%), and Taiwan (36.4%).

For the first two months of 2026, Malaysia’s trade surplus totaled MYR 38.7 billion.