Malaysia's Nov factory output rises 2%, above forecast

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's industrial production index rose 2 per cent in November from a year earlier, after falling to a six-year low the previous month, government data showed on Friday.

The index measures factory output from the manufacturing, mining and electricity generation sectors.

Factory output in November was above the 1 per cent expansion forecast for the month by analysts in a Reuters poll, and up from October's 0.3 per cent rise, the slowest pace of growth since February 2013.

November's output growth was boosted by gains in the electricity, manufacturing and mining sectors, data from the Statistics Department showed.

Manufacturing output grew 2.5 per cent from a year earlier, while the electricity generation sector index rose 1.6 per cent.

Mining output was up 0.5 per cent, recovering after a decline the previous month.

Malaysia's exports had fallen for the fourth straight month in November, contracting 5.5 per cent from a year earlier on lower shipments of manufactured goods and commodities.

REUTERS