Overview

KEY FACTS

• On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, exports increased RM13.3 billion (+25.0%) from RM53.2 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, exports expanded by 6.7%.
• On a m-o-m basis, imports grew RM10.0 billion (+20.6%) from RM48.6 billion. In seasonally adjusted terms, imports fell 0.9%.
• On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, exports rose RM1.5 billion (+2.3%) to RM66.5 billion.
• On a y-o-y basis, imports increased RM3.2 billion (+5.8%) to RM58.6 billion.
• On a m-o-m basis, the expansion in exports was attributed to higher exports to People’s Republic of China (+RM2.5 billion), Hong Kong      (+RM1.3 billion), Singapore (+RM1.2 billion), United States (+RM1.2 billion) and European Union (+RM892.6 million).
• On a m-o-m basis, higher imports were mainly from Singapore (+RM2.1 billion), United States (+RM1.6 billion), Indonesia (+RM1.0 billion), Thailand (+RM910.5 million) and Republic of Korea (+RM828.3 million).

TRADE

Total trade in March 2015, which was valued at RM125.1 billion, increased RM4.7 billion (+3.9%), from a year ago. It posted an increase of 22.9% or RM23.3 billion from the previous month. A trade surplus of RM7.8 billion was recorded in March 2015, decreasing by 17.9% from RM9.5 billion registered a year ago. However, when compared with the previous month, an increase of 71.7% was recorded.

EXPORTS

On a m-o-m basis, exports rose 25.0% to RM66.5 billion. The main commodities which contributed to the increase were:

• Electrical & electronics (E&E) products, which accounted for 36.1% of total exports,  increased RM5.6 billion (+30.2%) from RM18.4 billion;
• Palm oil and palm-based products, which contributed 7.3% to total exports,  increased RM878.5 million (+22.2%) from RM4.0 billion. Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products rose 21.8% or RM514.7 million due to the rise in export volume (+28.1%) as average unit value decreased 4.9%;
• Liquefied natural gas (LNG) (8.2% of total exports), expanded RM568.9 million or 11.7% from RM4.9 billion due to the increase in export volume (+18.0%) as average unit value fell 5.4%;
• Timber & timber-based products (2.8% of total exports), increased RM499.8 million (+37.3%) from RM1.3 billion;
• Crude petroleum (2.9% of total exports), rose RM97.9 million (+5.3%) from RM1.8 billion mainly due to higher average unit value (+6.8%) as export volume fell 1.4%;
• Refined petroleum products, which accounted for 5.2% of total exports,  increased RM86.2 million or 2.6% from RM3.4 billion due to higher average unit value (+10.5%) as export volume fell 7.2%; and
• Natural rubber, which contributed 0.5% to total exports, increased RM26.8 million or 8.9% from RM302.6 million and this was attributed to the increase in export volume (+9.6%) as average unit value fell 0.7%.
   

Exports, 2011 - 2015

On a y-o-y basis, exports rose 2.3% from RM65.0 billion. The main commodities which contributed to the increase were:

• Electrical & electronics (E&E) products, increased RM3.1 billion (+14.6%) to RM24.0 billion; and
• Timber & timber-based products, increased RM40.5 million (+2.3%) to RM1.8 billion.

However, the following commodities declined in export value:

• Refined petroleum products, fell RM2.3 billion or 39.7% to RM3.4 billion due to the decline in both average unit value (-26.0%) and export volume (-18.4%);
• Crude petroleum, declined RM771.8 million (-28.6%) to RM1.9 billion mainly due to lower average unit value (-42.0%) as export volume rose 23.1%;
• Palm oil and palm-based products, fell RM595.3 million (-10.9%) to RM4.8 billion. Exports of palm oil, the major commodity in this group of products also fell 15.7% or RM537.5 million mainly due to lower average unit value (-16.0%) as export volume rose to 0.3%;
• Natural rubber, also fell RM164.7 million or 33.3% due to the decline in both average unit value (-24.0%) and export volume (-12.3%); and
• LNG, fell by RM32.7 million or 0.6% to RM5.4 billion due to lower average unit value (-14.0%). However, export volume increased 15.5%.

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, exports increased RM4.0 billion (+6.7%) to RM62.9 billion.

IMPORTS

On a m-o-m basis, imports rose 20.6% from RM48.6 billion. The increase in imports was attributed to intermediate goods, capital goods and consumption goods.

• Intermediate Goods

Imports of these goods which contributed 58.8% of total imports, expanded RM5.1 billion (+17.3%) from RM29.4 billion. The main components that contributed to the increase were industrial supplies, processed (+RM2.4 billion, +21.7%), fuel & lubricants, primary  (+RM717.9 million, +52.2%), parts & accessories of transport equipment (+RM556.9 million, +36.2%) and food & beverages, processed, mainly for industries (+RM449.0 million, +43.7%).

• Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods, which accounted for 16.3% of total imports, rose RM2.7 billion (+38.8%) from RM6.9 billion and this was due to the increase in capital goods (except transport equipment) (+RM2.7 billion, +45.5%).

• Consumption Goods

These goods which constituted 7.5% of total imports, increased  RM480.3 million (+12.3%) from RM3.9 billion. The increase was contributed by non-durables (+RM171.8 million, +17.0%), semi-durables (+RM133.2 million, +26.4%) and food & beverages, processed, mainly for household consumption (+RM131.7 million, +11.9%).

Imports, 2011 - 2015

On a y-o-y basis, imports increased 5.8% to RM58.6 billion. The expansion was attributed to higher imports of intermediate goods, capital goods and consumption goods.

• Intermediate Goods

Imports of intermediate goods rose RM2.2 billion (+6.7%) to RM34.5 billion. The expansion were mainly attributed to fuel & lubricants, processed, other (+RM728.1 million, +39.1%), industrial supplies, processed (+RM703.5 million, +5.6%), food & beverages, processed, mainly for industries (+RM646.0 million, +77.9%) and industrial supplies, primary (+RM480.5 million, +35.7%).

• Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods increased RM1.3 billion (+15.6%) to RM9.6 billion due to the increase in capital goods (except for transport equipment)    (+RM1.8 billion, +27.4%). However, transport equipment, industrial decreased by RM544.8 million (-34.7%).

• Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods grew by RM17.2 million (+0.4%) to RM4.4 billion. The main component contributing to the rise was non-durables   (+RM68.2 million, +6.1%) and transport equipment, non-industrial (+RM29.5 million, +24.9%).

Seasonally Adjusted Figure

On a m-o-m basis seasonally adjusted terms, imports fell RM493.6 million (-0.9%) to RM57.1 billion.

MARKET SHARE

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

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

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

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

Exports, Jan - Mar 2015, percentage share

Imports, Jan - Mar 2015, percentage share

Released By:

THE OFFICE OF CHIEF STATISTICIAN MALAYSIA
DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS, MALAYSIA
07 MAY 2015

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