PETALING JAYA: Malaysia saw its highest expansion since August 2022 in export growth, accelerating 36.9% year-on-year in April 2026.
The trade surplus widened to RM28.8bil last month, leading to a cumulative surplus of RM91.9bil for the first four months of 2026 (4M26), almost double compared to 4M25.
The growth was driven by manufactured goods which rose 40.1% year-on-year (y-o-y), supported by strong shipments of electrical and electronics (E&E), petroleum and machinery, equipment and parts.
CGS International (CGSI) Research said E&E exports surged to 46.4% yearly, underpinned by robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and automotive-related electronics with stronger shipments to Singapore and the United States.
“Exports of mining products rose 25.6% on a yearly basis, supported by higher shipments of metalliferous ores, while agriculture exports recorded modest growth of 5.2% y-o-y,” CGSI Research noted.
TA Research said the country’s first quarter trade performance marked an encouraging start to the year, thus supporting the strong gross domestic product growth momentum recorded during the quarter.
According to the research house, April’s trade data also remained positive, suggesting that external demand continues to complement resilient domestic demand.
“Looking ahead, we remain cautiously optimistic but expect trade growth to gradually normalise in the second half of 2026 following the exceptionally strong performance in the first half,” it said.
