rki.news | Sources: Xinhua
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 21: Malaysia’s strong trade performance during the first seven months of 2026 has boosted economists’ confidence in the country’s export outlook.
Maybank Investment Bank said robust trade growth was supported by an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technology upcycle, resilient electrical and electronics demand and broad-based manufacturing exports.
Exports rose 29.2 percent year-on-year from January to July, exceeding 19.8 percent import growth and generating a trade surplus of 170.5 billion ringgit (42.15 billion U.S. dollars). The surplus has already surpassed the 156.8 billion ringgit recorded for all of 2025.
Maybank forecasts 2026 export growth of 27.5 percent and import growth of 21.3 percent, with the trade surplus projected at 286 billion ringgit.
BIMB Securities raised its export growth forecast to 23.4 percent from 15.8 percent, citing stronger-than-expected performance.
Analysts said sustained AI-driven semiconductor demand, U.S. tariff exemptions on semiconductor products and stronger energy exports, including liquefied natural gas and crude petroleum, should support Malaysia’s trade sector through the rest of 2026.