[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's February industrial production rose 3.9 per cent from a year earlier supported by strength in the electricity, manufacturing and mining sectors, government data showed on Monday.

The figure was slightly below the 4.0 per cent rise forecast in a Reuters poll.

Electricity output expanded 10.5 per cent in February from the same month last year, data from the Statistics Department showed.

Factory output in January had beaten market expectations at 3.2 per cent from a year earlier, supported by growth in the manufacturing, mining and electricity sectors.

Malaysia's exports in February also grew faster than expected at 6.7 per cent year-on-year, on stronger palm oil demand and shipments of electronic products to the United States.

However, a private manufacturing purchasing managers' index showed Malaysian factory activity contracted for the 12th consecutive month in March.

REUTERS