Trade performance for the month of September 2011 and the period of January- September 2011

The Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), YB Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamed announced that Malaysia's exports continued to expand in September 2011, increasing by 16.6% compared with a year ago, to RM58.68 billion. Imports amounted to RM49.05 billion, an increase of 12.9%. Total trade rose by 14.9% to RM107.73 billion with a trade surplus of RM9.63 billion registered in September 2011.

During the period of January to September 2011, total trade expanded by 8.6% to RM937.97 billion, compared with the corresponding period in 2010. Exports increased by 8.3% to RM513.59 billion while imports rose by 8.9% to RM424.37 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM89.22 billion, during the same period. Top export destinations for the period were mainly in Asia.

In term of imports for the period, the main categories by end use are intermediate goods valued at RM288.78 billion or 68% of total imports, capital goods, RM57.62 billion or 13.6% of total imports, and consumption goods, RM29.64 billion or 7% of total imports. Imports were mainly to meet requirement for investment related projects, industrial production as well as infrastructure development needs of the country. Main sources of imports were from Asian countries, USA and Germany.

Compared with the second quarter of 2011, total trade in the third quarter was higher by 2.8% at RM322.91 billion. Both exports and imports grew by 3.4% and 2.1%, respectively.