Malaysia's IPI up 4.1% in July

KUALA LUMPUR: The Industrial Production Index (IPI) in July grew moderately by 4.1% year-on-year in July, with expansion recorded n the manufacturing, mining and electricity sectors, the statistics department said.

It noted that the manufacturing index rose 3.3%, the mining index expanded 6.1% and the electricity index rose 7.1%.

The department said the IPI in June 2016 remained unchanged at 5.3% year-on-year.

In seasonally adjusted terms, the IPI in July 2016 decreased 0.7% month-on-month due to the decline in manufacturing (1.7%), mining (0.9%) and electricity (0.1%), it said in a statement on Friday.

The department said the manufacturing sector output registered a modest growth of 3.3% in July after an increase of 4.7% the month before.

The major sub-sectors which recorded expansions in July were petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (3.5%); electrical and electronics products (4.1%); and non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products (4.1%).

The mining sector output recorded a growth of 6.1% in July after a 6.3% increase in June 2016, driven by higher growth in crude oil index by 13.9%.

The natural gas index, however, declined 2.7%.

The electricity sector output increased further by 7.1% in July after registering a 8.7% expansion in June 2016.

The IPI for the January-July period expanded 3.6% versus a year ago, contributed by the increase in all indices: manufacturing (4.0%), mining (1.5%) and electricity (8.6%). - Bernama