Overview

KEY FACTS :

• On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, exports rose RM938.1 million (+1.4%) to RM68.3 billion.
• On a y-o-y basis, imports increased RM1.9 billion (+3.2%) to RM60.3 billion.
• On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, exports rose RM670.3 million (+1.0%) from RM67.6 billion.  In seasonally adjusted terms, exports decreased 2.2%.
• On a m-o-m basis, imports also increased RM2.9 billion (+5.1%) from RM57.4 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, imports dropped 2.9%.
• On a y-o-y basis, exports increased due to the rise in exports to The United States of America (+RM953.0 million), Thailand (+RM487.3 million), European Union (+RM391.2 million) and Indonesia (+RM288.4 million).                   
• On a y-o-y basis, higher imports were mainly from China (+RM940.5 million), Indonesia (+RM605.1 million), Thailand (+RM404.7 million) and Brazil (+RM360.6 million).

TRADE

Total trade in December 2015, which was valued at RM128.6 billion, increased RM2.8 billion or 2.2% from a year ago. It also posted an increase of RM3.6 billion or 2.9% when compared to the previous month. On a y-o-y basis, a trade surplus of RM8.0 billion was recorded, a decline of RM916.2 million or 10.3%. When compared with the previous month, it also recorded a decrease of RM2.2 billion or 22.0%.

EXPORTS

On a y-o-y basis, the 1.4% growth in exports was due to the rise of these products:

• Electrical and electronic (E&E) products, which accounted for 36.3% of total exports, increased RM1.5 billion (+6.4%) to RM24.8 billion; and 
• Timber and timber-based products, which contributed 2.9% of total exports, increased RM84.8 million or 4.5% to RM2.0 billion.

However, declines were recorded for the following products:

• Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which contributed 5.6% to total exports dropped 36.7% or RM2.2 billion to RM3.8 billion due to the decrease in both average unit value (-34.7%) and export volume (-3.1%);
• Refined petroleum products, which contributed 4.2% to total exports also had a similar trend, with a decrease of 34.4% or RM1.5 billion to RM2.8 billion due to the decrease in both average unit value (-23.7%) and export volume (-14.1%);
• Palm oil and palm-based products, which contributed 7.5% to total exports, also dropped 7.0% or RM388.8 million to RM5.1 billion. Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products decreased 7.0% or RM242.8  million due to the decrease in both average unit value (-6.7%) and export volume (-0.3%);
• Crude petroleum, which contributed 3.1% to total exports declined 6.0% or RM137.1 million to RM2.2 billion due to the decrease in average unit value (-26.0%) as export volume increased 27.0%; and
• Natural rubber, which contributed 0.4% to total exports declined 17.9% or RM66.9 million to RM307.1 million due to the decrease in export volume (-22.0%) as average unit value increased 5.3%.
   

  Exports, 2011-2015

On a m-o-m basis, the 1.0% growth in exports was due to the rise of these products:

• E&E products, rose RM1.7 billion (+7.3%) from RM23.1 billion;
• Timber and timber-based products increased RM148.6 million (+8.1%) from RM1.8 billion; and
• Natural rubber increased RM46.8 million (+18.0%) from RM260.3 million due to the increase in export volume (+19.7%) as average unit value decreased 1.4%.

Nevertheless, the following products decreased:

• Refined petroleum products, dropped RM1.5 billion or 34.7% from RM4.3 billion due to the decrease in both export volume (-29.1%) and average unit value  (-7.9%);
• Crude petroleum, declined RM522.9 million or 19.6% from RM2.7 billion due to the decrease in both average unit value (-8.6%) and export volume (-12.0%);
• Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), dropped RM245.3 million or 6.1% from  RM4.0 billion due to the 9.4% decrease in average unit value as export volume increased 3.7%; and
• Palm oil and palm-based product fell RM206.1 million or 3.9% from RM5.3 billion. Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products decreased RM22.5 million or 0.8 % due to the decrease in average unit value (-6.9%) as export volume increased 6.6%.

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, exports fell RM1.5 billion (-2.2%) to RM66.7 billion.

IMPORTS

On a y-o-y basis, imports increased 3.2% from RM57.4 billion. The increase in imports was mainly attributed to intermediate goods and consumption goods.

• Intermediate Goods

These goods which constituted 58.6% of total imports expanded RM2.0 billion (+5.9%) to RM35.4 billion. The increase were mainly attributed to parts & accessories of capital goods (except transport equipment) (+RM1.9 billion, +17.2%), parts & accessories of transport equipment (+RM453.7 million, +24.4%) and industrial supplies, processed  (+RM433.4 million, +3.3%).

• Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods which accounted for 10.5% of total imports expanded RM1.7 billion (+37.8%) to RM6.3 billion. The main components contributing to the increase were semi-durables (+RM752.0 million, +102.4%), food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption (+RM369.3 million, +27.6%) and non-durables (+RM317.1 million, +29.8%).

• Capital Goods

Capital Goods which accounted for 13.4% of total imports shrank RM1.4 billion (-15.2%) due to the decline in transport equipment, industrial (-RM1.0 billion, -62.1%) and capital goods (except transport equipment) (-RM426.1 million, -5.4%).

Imports, 2011-2015

On a m-o-m basis, imports rose RM2.9 billion or 5.1% to RM60.3 billion. The increase in imports was attributed to intermediate goods and consumption goods.

• Intermediate Goods

These goods expanded RM3.5 billion (+11.0%) to RM35.4 billion. The increase were mainly due to industrial supplies, processed (+RM2.2 billion, +19.8%), food & beverages, processed, mainly for industries (+RM462.2 million, +47.9%), and food & beverages, primary, mainly for industries (+RM208.5 million, +47.7%).

• Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods rose RM490.7 million (+8.4%) to RM6.3 billion. The main components contributing to the increase were semi-durables (+RM172.4 million, +13.1%), food & beverages, primary, mainly for household consumption (+RM102.5 million, +13.6%) and food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption  (+RM86.6 million, +5.3%).

• Capital Goods

Imports of Capital Goods dropped RM72.3 million (-0.9%) due to the decrease in transport equipment, industrial (-RM174.3 million, -21.9%).

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, imports decreased RM1.7 billion (-2.9%) to RM58.6 billion.

MARKET SHARE

The following charts show Malaysia's major trading partners for January - December 2015.

Total Trade by Major Countries, Jan - Dec 2015, percentage share  

Exports and Imports by Major Countries, Jan - Dec 2015, percentage share

The following charts show Malaysia’s trade with ASEAN countries for January - December 2015.

Exports, Jan – Dec 2015, percentage share

Imports, Jan – Dec 2015, percentage share

Notes:

# The December 2015 data is provisional and subject to revision in later issues.

Released By:

THE OFFICE OF CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
05 FEBRUARY 2016

Contact person:
Ho Mei Kei
Public Relation Officer
Corporate and User Services Division
Department of Statistics, Malaysia
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Email : mkho@stats.gov.my

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