KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's trade performance in July surged 37.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) on the back of broad-based export gains across the manufactured, agriculture and mining goods sectors.
The country's total trade in July grew to a monthly record of RM364.74bil, underpinned by 38% export growth to RM193.6bil and 36.4% import growth to RM171.14bil.
The trade surplus widened to RM22.46bil, extending its surplus streak to a 75th consecutive month since May 2020, data released by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry showed.
Driving export values, semiconductors and other high-value electrical and electronics (E&E) products saw a 51% surge in demand to RM95.65bil compared to July 2025.
There was also notable double-digit growth in the exports of machinery, equipment and parts (41.6%) to RM9.65bil, petroleum products (26.9%) to RM10.31bil, and optical and sceintific equipment (36.2%) to RM7.64bil.
Exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products increased 7.8% to RM7.25bil.
In key trading markets, exports to Asean increased 28.8% to RM56.06bil, underpinned by strong exports of E&E products and machinery, equipment and parts.
Exports to China hit their highest value ever after surging 30.2% to RM20.59bil, owing to robust exports of E&E products as well as metalliferous ores and metal scrap.
Outbound shipments to Taiwan meanwhile nearly doubled to a record RM15.36bil, due to demand for E&E products.
On imports, intermediate goods increased 40.8% to RM80.04bil as a result of higher imports of parts and accessories of non-transport capital goods.
Capital goods, valued at RM22.52bil, surged 24%, attributed to higher imports of non-transport capital goods, while consumption goods, valued at RM10.98bil, rose 5.2%, due to increased imports of durables.
