Malaysia Records Highest First-Half Trade at RM1.796 Trillion

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry reported that Malaysia's total trade reached a record RM1.796 trillion in the first half of 2026, a 22.4% increase year-on-year. This growth was supported by a 27.5% rise in exports to RM971.59 billion and a 16.9% increase in imports to RM824.44 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM147.15 billion.

Electrical and electronic products drove the expansion, with significant demand coming from Asean, China, the United States, Taiwan, and the European Union. June 2026 specifically marked the highest monthly trade value on record at RM340.89 billion, maintaining a trade surplus for the 74th consecutive month since May 2020.

Despite these records, June export growth of 45.4% did not meet the 52.9% increase forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. The ministry attributed the overall performance to the country's deep integration into regional and global supply chains.