Overview

KEY FACTS :

• Malaysia’s exports in April 2018 registered a robust growth of 14.0% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM84.2 billion. This is the second highest monthly export value after the previous month’s exports of RM84.5 billion.  Re-exports in April 2018 was valued at RM20.1 billion (+84.3%) and accounted for 23.9% of total exports. Domestic exports increased RM1.2 billion (+1.8%) to RM64.1 billion.
• Imports expanded by 9.1% y-o-y to RM71.2 billion.
• On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, exports decreased RM224.7 million (-0.3%) from RM84.5 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, exports registered an increase of 9.5%.
• On a m-o-m basis, imports posted a growth of RM1.4 billion (+2.0%) from RM69.8 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, imports rose 8.8%.
• On a y-o-y basis, export growth was attributed to expansion in exports to Hong Kong (+RM3.4 billion), China (+RM2.2 billion), European Union (+RM1.5 billion), Thailand (+RM1.2 billion) and Taiwan (+RM1.2 billion).
• On a y-o-y basis, higher imports were mainly from European Union (+RM1.8 billion), Singapore (+RM1.5 billion), China (+RM1.4 billion), Taiwan (+RM712.8 million) and Saudi Arabia (+RM646.3 million).

TRADE

Total trade which was valued at RM155.4 billion increased RM16.3 billion or 11.7% from a year ago. It also posted a growth of RM1.2 billion or 0.8% when compared to the previous month. The trade surplus for April 2018 was RM13.1 billion, a surge of RM4.4 billion (+50.9%) from a year ago. However, when compared to the previous month, it fell RM1.6 billion or 11.0%.

EXPORTS

On a y-o-y basis, exports increased 14.0% from RM73.9 billion. The main products which contributed to the increase were:

• Electrical and electronic (E&E) products (37.8% of total exports), increased RM5.6 billion (+21.2%) to RM31.8 billion;
• Refined petroleum products, which contributed 6.2% to total exports, rose RM1.5 billion or 38.9% to RM5.2 billion due to the increase in both export volume (+26.2%) and average unit value (+10.0%);
• Crude petroleum, which contributed 3.4% to total exports expanded RM536.0 million or 22.7% from RM2.4 billion due to the increase in both export volume (+11.0%) and average unit value (+10.6%);
• Timber and timber-based products, which accounted for 2.2% of total exports, grew RM29.2 million or 1.6% to RM1.9 billion; and
• Palm oil and palm oil-based products (7.2% of total exports), increased by a marginal RM11.5 million (+0.2%) to RM6.1 billion. Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products rose RM6.9 million or 0.2% due to the increase in export volume (+24.5%) as average unit value dropped 19.5%.

However, declines were recorded for the following products:

• Liquefied natural gas (LNG), which contributed 3.4% of total exports dropped RM405.2 million or 12.5% to RM2.8 billion due to the decrease in both average unit value (-9.3%) and export volume (-3.5%); and
• Natural rubber (0.4% of total exports) decreased RM234.5 million or 42.6% to RM316.0 million due to the decline in both average unit value (-36.3%) and export volume (-9.9%).

On a m-o-m basis, exports declined RM224.7 million (-0.3%) from RM84.5 billion. The main products which contributed to the decrease were:

• Crude petroleum declined RM721.0 million or 19.9% from RM3.6 billion due to the decrease in export volume (-21.9%) as average unit value increased 2.5%;
• LNG, decreased RM455.7 million (-13.8%) from RM3.3 billion due to lower average unit value (-7.7%) and export volume (-6.6%);
• Timber and timber-based products dropped RM89.5 million or 4.6% from RM1.9 billion; and
• Natural rubber fell RM33.1 million or 9.5% from RM349.1 million due to the decline in both export volume (-7.7%) and average unit value (-1.9%).

However, increases were recorded for the following products:

• Refined petroleum products, increased RM926.0 million or 21.6% from RM4.3 billion due to the increase in both export volume (+13.3%) and average unit value (+7.4%);
• Palm oil and palm oil-based products was higher by RM26.8 million or 0.4% from RM6.0 billion. Exports of palm oil rose RM126.6 million or 3.5% due to the increase in export volume (+4.7%) as average unit value decreased 1.1%; and
• E&E products was up marginally by RM8.0 million or 0.03% from RM31.8 billion.

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, exports grew RM7.6 billion (+9.5%) to RM87.7 billion.

Exports, 2014-2018

IMPORTS

On a y-o-y basis, imports increased 9.1% from RM65.2 billion. The increase in imports was mainly attributed to capital goods as intermediate goods and consumption goods decreased.

• Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods, which accounted for 11.8% of total imports, grew RM382.6 million (+4.8%) to RM8.4 billion due to the increase in transport equipment, industrial (+RM707.1 million, +166.6%). However, capital good (except transport equipment) decreased RM324.5 million or 4.3%.

• Intermediate Goods

These goods which constituted 47.5% of total imports fell  RM4.6 billion (-11.9%) to RM33.8 billion. The decrease was mainly attributed to parts and accessories of capital goods (except transport equipment) (-RM5.8 billion, -36.8%). On the other hand, fuel & lubricants processed, others, and parts & accessories of transport equipment increased RM798.7 million (+78.5%) and RM354.0 million (+16.4%) respectively.

• Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods which accounted for 7.8% of total imports recorded a decrease of RM99.9 million (-1.8%) to RM5.6 billion. The decline was mainly attributed to semi-durables (-RM106.9 million, -8.6%),non-durables (-RM67.2 million, -5.1%) and food & beverages, primary, mainly for household consumption (-RM47.6 million, -5.6%). However, food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption increased RM114.5 million or 7.8%.

On a m-o-m basis, imports rose RM1.4 billion or 2.0% from RM69.8 billion. The increase in imports was contributed by consumption goods.

• Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods increased RM232.9 million (+4.4%) fromRM5.3 billion. The increase was due to semi-durables (+RM236.1 million, +26.2%) and durables (+RM122.6 million, +19.7%). Nevertheless, non-durables and food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption decreased RM75.2 million (-5.7%) and RM50.5 million (-3.1%) respectively.

• Intermediate Goods

These goods fell RM3.0 billion (-8.2%) from RM36.8 billion. The main components for the decrease were industrial supplies, processed (-RM1.6 billion, -10.3%)  and  parts  and  accessories  of  capital  good  (except  transport  equipment)  (-RM1.5 billion, -13.5%).

• Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods dropped RM1.0 billion or 11.0% from RM9.4 billion due to  the  decrease  in  both  transport  equipment,  industrial (-RM604.8 million, -34.8%)  and  capital  goods  (except  transport  equipment)  (-RM434.6 million,  -5.7%).

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, imports increased RM6.0 billion (+8.8%) to RM74.0 billion.

Imports, 2014-2018

MARKET SHARE

The following charts show Malaysia's major trading partners for January - April 2018.

             Total Trade by Major Countries, Jan - Apr 2018, percentage share

Exports and Imports by Major Countries, Jan - Apr 2018, percentage share

The following charts show Malaysia’s trade with ASEAN countries for January - April 2018.

Exports, Jan - Apr 2018, percentage share

Imports, Jan - Apr 2018, percentage share

Notes:

# The April 2018 data is provisional and subject to revision in later issues.

Released By:

THE OFFICE OF CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
 DrUzir_Mahidin       Dr_Uzir

05 JUNE 2018

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Ho Mei Kei
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