Malaysia's Trade Rises 9.5 Pct To RM245.2 Bln In February 2026, Says DOSM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s trade grew 9.5 per cent to RM245.2 billion in February 2026 from RM223.9 billion a year earlier, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) said. 

Exports rose 10.8 per cent to RM131.0 billion, while imports increased 8.2 per cent to RM114.2 billion.

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the export growth was driven by both re-exports and domestic exports.

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“Re-exports, which accounted for 20.3 per cent of total exports, rose 24.8 per cent year-on-year to RM26.6 billion. Domestic exports, representing 79.7 per cent of total exports, expanded 7.7 per cent to RM104.3 billion,” he said in a statement accompanying the February 2026 Malaysia External Trade Statistics release.

Correspondingly, imports increased 8.2 per cent to RM114.2 billion. The trade surplus widened 32.5 per cent to RM16.7 billion, marking the 70th consecutive month of surplus since May 2020.

Compared with January 2026, exports, imports, total trade and the trade surplus fell 10.8 per cent, 8.5 per cent, 9.8 per cent and 23.9 per cent, respectively.

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By commodity group, 87 of 258 export groups and 135 of 258 import groups posted gains compared with February 2025.

Export growth was mainly driven by higher shipments to the United States (+RM7.4 billion), Taiwan (+RM3.3 billion), the European Union (+RM3.2 billion), Hong Kong (+RM2.2 billion), China (+RM1.7 billion), Thailand (+RM834.2 million) and South Korea (+RM621.6 million).

The rise in imports reflected increased inflows from China (+RM6.1 billion), South Korea (+RM3.6 billion), Taiwan (+RM3.3 billion), Costa Rica (+RM1.1 billion), Vietnam (+RM1.1 billion), Switzerland (+RM655.1 million) and the EU (+RM650.3 million).

Exports were boosted by shipments of electrical and electronics (E&E) products (+RM13.5 billion); other manufactures (+RM3.0 billion); metalliferous ores and metal scrap (+RM2.4 billion); optical and scientific equipment (+RM2.0 billion); other goods (+RM325.1 million); and crude petroleum (+RM72.4 million).

Imports rose mainly on stronger inflows of E&E products (+RM13.3 billion); metalliferous ores and metal scrap (+RM1.4 billion); other goods (+RM1.1 billion); machinery, equipment and parts (+RM629.4 million); optical and scientific equipment (+RM612.5 million); and other manufactures (+RM533.7 million).

Mohd Uzir noted that import growth by end use was driven by higher demand for capital goods, consumption goods and intermediate goods.

Imports of capital goods, accounting for 14.0 per cent of total imports, rose 15.4 per cent or RM2.1 billion to RM15.9 billion. Consumption goods (8.1 per cent of total imports) increased 1.5 per cent or RM136.7 million to RM9.2 billion. Intermediate goods (51.8 per cent of total imports) rose 0.8 per cent or RM474.5 million to RM59.2 billion.

For January–February 2026, total trade rose 11.0 per cent to RM516.9 billion from RM465.8 billion a year earlier, driven by a 15.2 per cent increase in exports and a 6.4 per cent rise in imports. The trade surplus surged 137.6 per cent to RM38.7 billion.

-- BERNAMA