Malaysia’s Trade Surplus Hits RM28.8 Billion As Exports Soar Nearly 37%

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Malaysia recorded a much stronger trade performance in April 2026, with exports surging 36.9% year-on-year and pushing the country's trade surplus to RM28.8 billion

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), total trade climbed 28.6% from a year earlier to RM336.7 billion.

Exports reached RM182.7 billion, while imports also posted healthy growth of 20% to RM154 billion, reflecting continued domestic economic activity.

The strong performance appears to have continued into May.

Preliminary figures showed Malaysia's total trade grew by 29.8% year-on-year, while exports accelerated even further with a 45.3% increase.

Imports also remained in positive territory, rising 14.1% compared to the same month last year.

The figures suggest April's strong performance was not a one-off, with Malaysia continuing to benefit from robust demand for its exports.

Compared to March, Malaysia's trade activity accelerated significantly in April.

Exports rose 22.8% month-on-month, while imports increased 23.9%.

Overall trade expanded by 23.3% over the month, with the trade surplus widening a further 17.4%.

Much of the export growth was driven by Malaysia's manufacturing sector, particularly electrical and electronic (E&E) products

The E&E sub-sector grew 13.4% in April, supported by strong global technology demand.

At the same time, semiconductor imports continued to increase, reflecting sustained activity across the technology supply chain.

Beyond electronics, Malaysia's broader industrial sector also strengthened.

The manufacturing sector expanded by 8.3% year-on-year, while the mining sector returned to growth with a 6.8% increase.

Malaysia remains resilient despite a slower global outlook

Commenting on the latest figures, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the country's industrial activity remained on an upward trajectory despite uncertainty in the global economy.

"In line with the continued expansion in domestic industrial activity, the Industrial Production Index (IPI) recorded stronger year-on-year growth of 8.2% in April 2026… despite ongoing external uncertainties."

While the World Bank expects global economic growth to moderate to 2.5% in 2026, DOSM said Malaysia's near-term outlook remains broadly steady and cautiously optimistic, supported by resilient external trade and continued industrial expansion.