Malaysia's Feb exports jump 17.6% y-o-y, beat forecast

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's exports in February rose 17.6 per cent from a year earlier, exceeding expectations, buoyed by higher shipments of electrical and electronic goods as well as commodity-based products, government data showed on Monday.

The median forecast among nine economists surveyed by Reuters was for an 8.8 per cent growth in February. In January, exports had risen 6.6 per cent.

Imports in February jumped 12.7 per cent year-on-year, accelerating from the previous month's 1.3 per cent expansion, data from the International Trade and Industry Ministry showed. Analysts had expected a 3.9 per cent rise.

Malaysia's trade surplus widened to RM17.9 billion (S$5.81 billion) last month from RM16.6 billion in January.

Analysts had estimated a surplus of RM15.6 billion.

REUTERS