MALAYSIA'S FEB PMI RISES TO 49.7, HIGHEST SINCE LAST AUGUST – S&P GLOBAL

KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 (Bernama) -- The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Malaysia manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to 49.7 in February 2025, the highest reading since last August, S&P Global said.  

The firm said the latest PMI remains consistent with modest growth in official gross domestic product (GDP) data for the first quarter of 2025, extending the trend seen in last year's third and fourth quarters.

“The data also suggested that the expansion in manufacturing production continued into 2025, with new orders increasing for the first time since last October in the latest survey period,” the company said in a statement today.  

S&P Global noted that the increase in overall new business was partly driven by domestic sales growth, while new export orders fell for a third consecutive month, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.  

Meanwhile, S&P Global Market Intelligence economist Usamah Bhatti said February data pointed to improving trends in Malaysia’s manufacturing sector, though conditions remained generally challenging.  

“Most encouragingly, firms secured greater volumes of new work for the first time in four months. However, demand remained largely muted. As a result, production and employment were scaled back, though only marginally,” he said.  

Usamah added that cost inflation remained subdued compared to the series average and was little changed from January, allowing firms to lower selling prices for a second straight month.  

“The outlook for the coming months appears brighter, as firms are hopeful that the renewed increase in new orders will be sustained and accelerate, leading to an eventual recovery in production,” he said. 

-- BERNAMA