KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's total trade surged 44.7 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2026, driven by strong growth in exports and imports, official data showed on Monday.
Exports rose 46 percent year on year, while imports increased 43.3 percent, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said in a statement.
The trade surplus amounted to 84.3 billion ringgit (about 20.65 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 65.1 percent.
For the January-September period, total trade expanded 30.1 percent to 2.9 trillion ringgit from 2.2 trillion ringgit a year earlier, supported by a 34-percent increase in exports and 25.7-percent growth in imports. The trade surplus more than doubled, rising 115.7 percent to 232.4 billion ringgit in the period.
In September, total trade surged 53.7 percent year on year to 396.5 billion ringgit. Exports rose 54.5 percent to 215.1 billion ringgit, while imports increased 52.7 percent to 181.4 billion ringgit.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry said Malaysia's trade outlook remained exposed to uncertainties arising from shifting trade policies among major economies and geopolitical tensions.
These developments could disrupt global trade flows and intensify cost pressures, the ministry said, adding that the government would continue to diversify export markets, expand access to high-growth economies and help Malaysian exporters adapt to changing global trade conditions. ■
