Malaysia's December exports up 14%

Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA'S exports surged 14 per cent in December from a year earlier, surpassing the street's prediction of 9 per cent and paving the way for a stronger-than-expected rise in gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2013.

The news will come as a relief for the administration of Prime Minister Najib Razak, as it indicates that the global economic recovery is buoying exports to the point that they take up some of the slack from flagging domestic demand.