Malaysian exports boom by 6.7% yoy in May

Electronics and mining goods helped boost performance.

According to OSK-DMG, export performance in May exceeded expectations, rebounding by 6.7% yoy (from Apr’s 0.1% contraction) vs. market and our expectations for just a 5.0% and 5.3% increase. Imports rose 16.2% yoy in May, more than doubled Apr’s 7.4% rise. This resulted in a narrower trade surplus of RM4.6b in May as compared to RM7.5b in Apr.

Here's more from OSK-DMG:

Helping to drive export higher in May were shipments of electrical & electronics products (E&E) and mining goods, which rose 1.1% yoy, a rebound after contracting for two consecutive months by at least 6%, and 26.3% yoy led by a 40.6% yoy increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipment and 78.1% yoy jump in refined petroleum products. However, crude petroleum exports fell 22.4% yoy in May from 18.9% in Apr.

As for imports, the strong gains in May were largely due to the recovery in the import of intermediate goods, which expanded 6.6% yoy vs. Apr’s -0.6%. Providing support also were gains in capital goods import, which was up 41.9% yoy and consumption goods imports (up 14.9% yoy).

In terms of export destination, exports to ASEAN more than doubled to 19.7% yoy in May, while exports to the US rebounded 10.2% in May from -1.7% in Apr. Also posting double-digit growth in May was shipments to Japan, which rose 12.1% yoy on the back of higher exports of LNG. Exports to China were lackluster, rising by just 1.4% yoy. Shipment to the EU contracted for the third consecutive month by 3.2% yoy, but this was smallest drop since the beginning of the year.

The people you want to reach are already in this room.

Every quarter, SBR lands on the desks of the founders, CFOs, and directors running Asia's most consequential companies. Every day, they open our newsletter and read our website. It's a room that took twenty years to build — and it's the one most of our partners are trying to get into.

The good news is that the door is open. We work with companies on thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. The shape of the right partnership depends on what you're trying to do, which is why we'd rather start with a conversation than send a rate card.

If you have something this room should know about, tell us. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how.

No rate cards until we understand the brief. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia