KUALA LUMPUR: Exports are likely to improve slightly in August compa-red to July. A poll suggests exports will grow by an average 5.43 per cent year-on-year, imports by 10.5 per cent and trade balance coming in at an average RM5.14 billion. The International Trade and Industry Ministry will release the data today. Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Dr Chua Hak Bin said exports will remain healthy in August. “Tech and other machinery equipment exports are likely to continue to expand, in line with Asian peers South Korea and Taiwan.” Palm oil exports probably edged higher as data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board showed higher volumes of shipments in August. Other commodity exports probably continued to contract, given the soft prices, he said. Citi commented that China’s imports from Malaysia slowed in August (from one per cent in July) while Japan’s imports plunged in the same month (from 10.3 per cent). It said Singapore’s imports from Malaysia likely...

KUALA LUMPUR 5 Feb. – Kementerian Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri yakin Malaysia akan terus menghasilkan lebihan dagangan walaupun pertumbuhan eksport diunjurkan di paras dua hingga tiga peratus pada tahun ini. Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata, perkara tersebut bukanlah satu masalah kerana negara telah menghasilkan lebihan dagangan selama 17 tahun iaitu sejak Disember 1997. “Ia bukannya satu isu, kami yakin Malaysia akan terus menghasilkan lebihan dagangan yang sihat. Pada tahun lalu, negara telah menghasilkan lebihan dagangan sebanyak RM83.11 bilion,” katanya. Beliau berkata demikian sidang akhbar Laporan Prestasi Perdagangan Malaysia 2014 di sini hari ini. Pertumbuhan eksport yang kukuh menghasilkan lebihan dagangan sebanyak RM83.11 bilion pada 2014 yang merupakan lebihan dagangan tahun ke-17 berturut-turut dicatatkan. Lebihan dagangan tahun tersebut mencatatkan pertumbuhan dua digit iaitu sebanyak 16.6 peratus,...

Malaysia’s total trade went up by 5.9 per cent to RM1.5 trillion last year from RM1.4 trillion in 2013. Deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the export value increased by 6.4 per cent from RM46.1 billion to RM766.1 billion, while import value also increased by 5.3 per cent from RM34.3 billion to RM683 billion. “Strong export growth has contributed to the trade surplus for 17th consecutive year. The trade surplus for 2014 indicated an increase of 16.6 per cent, an improvement compared to negative growth (-22.8 per cent) recorded in 2012 and (-25.7 per cent) in 2013. “The manufacturing sector has contributed RM587.3 billion, an increase of 7.1 per cent from RM39.1 billion,” he said when addressing industry players in the state during a meet the people session on Thursday. Muhyiddin said a total of 3,966 projects were approved in the country with a capital investment worth RM259.9 billion from 2010 to September 2014, adding these investment projects had...