Mixed views on 2H25 external trade growth

Global Investment Research Asia Neumann says shipments are likely to cool as higher tariffs made Malaysian and other Asian goods more expensive in the United States.

PETALING JAYA: Economists are offering varying views as to whether external trade will grow in the second half of the year or 2H25 after the slight year-on-year (y-o-y)dip in May, with June’s numbers scheduled to be out tomorrow.

Nevertheless, they remain confident that the country can achieve a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of between 4% and 5% this year, although a continued slowdown is being forecast for 2026.