Malaysian exports seen lower on weak external demand

Rising shipment: Container ships sit docked next to gantry cranes at Port Klang. The International Trade and Industry Ministry expects export growth of between 2 and 3 in 2015. — Bloomberg

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s exports will finish 2015 worst off than the previous year on weak external demand and tepid growth in major markets.

The Statistics Department will release the December and full-year trade data this Friday. Economists expect weak external demand to impact Malaysia’s exports, which rose 6.3% in November on a year-on-year basis compared to October’s 16.7%. So far, the survey shows a 4.9% median rise in exports for December and 4.1% gain in imports with RM10bil in trade surplus.