Malaysia's Trade Trends January 2026

According to data from Malaysia’s Department of Statistics, the country’s total international trade during the first month of 2026 recorded a growth of 12.6 per cent, with exports rose by 19.6 per cent and imports expanded by 5.3 per cent year-on-year.

The robust trade performance and the export rise was mainly driven by strong demand for manufactured goods, especially electrical and electronic (E&E) products, as well as optical and scientific equipment and machinery

China remained Malaysia’s largest trading partner followed by the USA and the European Union.

In its latest economic outlook, the International Monetary Fund projected Malaysia’s GDP growth rate at 4.3 per cent for 2025.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a political and economic union, has a population of 667 million and a territory of 4.5 million km². It is currently the third-largest economy in Asia-Pacific and the fifth-largest in the world. The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has a combined GDP of USD 4.2 trillion, according to estimates for 2025.