MITI

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s trade performance returned to positive growth in July 2025, rebounding by 3.8 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM265.92 billion, the highest monthly trade value ever, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).

In a statement today, MITI said exports grew by 6.8 per cent to RM140.45 billion, the highest monthly value since September 2022, while imports edged up by 0.6 per cent to RM125.47 billion.

Trade surplus continued for the 63rd consecutive month, valued at RM14.98 billion for July 2025, it added.

The ministry noted that exports of electrical and electronics (E&E) products improved significantly by nearly RM12 billion to RM63.31 billion, an increase of 22.5 per cent y-o-y, compared to July 2024.

“It remained the key driver of Malaysia’s export growth, alongside optical and scientific equipment as well as processed foods.

“All these product categories recorded the highest export value thus far. Other contributors to export growth included machinery, equipment and parts as well as palm oil-based manufactured products,” it said.

According to MITI, exports to all key trading partners, namely ASEAN, China, the United States (US), Taiwan and the European Union, registered positive growth, with exports to Taiwan reaching its highest value to date.

It said exports to free trade agreement partners also expanded, with notable increases in shipments to Mexico and the Republic of Korea, driven primarily by higher exports of E&E products.

For the period of January to July 2025, trade, exports, and imports achieved their highest cumulative value, with trade rising 4.7 per cent to RM1.731 trillion y-o-y, exports expanding 4.3 per cent to RM900.47 billion and imports up by 5.1 per cent to RM830.16 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM70.32 billion.

“Malaysia’s encouraging trade performance in the first seven months of 2025 comes amid a cautiously improving global trade outlook,” it added.

MITI said the World Trade Organization has revised its growth forecast for global merchandise trade volume in 2025 to 0.9 per cent, up from its earlier projection of a 0.2 per cent contraction, largely driven by a surge in the US imports earlier in the year.

In addition, the US government’s decision to cut reciprocal tariffs on Malaysian exports from 25 per cent to 19 per cent reflects MITI’s methodical and disciplined trade diplomacy efforts, it said.

“This tariff rate, which is roughly in line with the rest of our peers in ASEAN, will continue to support our competitiveness,” said the ministry. — BERNAMA