05.07.201801:03:00UTC+00Malaysia Trade Surplus Grows In May

Malaysia's foreign trade surplus increased in May from year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from the Department of Statistics showed Thursday.

The trade surplus rose to MYR 8.1 billion in May from MYR 5.5 billion in the corresponding month last year. However, it was lower than the expected surplus of MYR 10.5 billion.

Exports climbed 3.4 percent year-over-year in May, but slower than the 6.4 percent rise economists had forecast.

Shipments of liquefied natural gas surged 61.0 percent annually in May and those of crude petroleum expanded by 45.8 percent.

Imports edged up 0.1 percent in May from a year ago versus the expected increase of 0.2 percent.