KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade recorded total sales of 154 billion ringgit (35.59 billion U.S. dollars) in March, marking a year-on-year growth of 5.7 percent, official data showed Tuesday.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that the growth was primarily driven by the retail trade and wholesale trade sub-sectors.
The retail trade sub-sector registered total sales of 67 billion ringgit, marking a year-on-year growth rate of 6.6 percent.
Meanwhile, the wholesale trade sub-sector posted total sales of 67.8 billion ringgit, reflecting an annual rise of 5.7 percent.
The motor vehicles sub-sector, on the other hand, recorded sales of 19.2 billion ringgit, representing an increase of 2.3 percent.
According to the DOSM, the retail segment in March benefited from festive-related spending and cash assistance initiatives, while the wholesale segment was bolstered by heightened demand for household goods and food items.
The motor vehicles sub-sector also recorded steady growth, supported by increased vehicle sales and registrations in conjunction with festive promotions, it added.
"Moving forward, the sector is expected to maintain its growth trajectory, supported by resilient domestic demand and continued positive sentiment," said DOSM. (1 ringgit equals 0.23 U.S. dollars) ■