Malaysia’s trade reaches historic RM1.12tril in January-April

KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia’s total trade rose 15.3% year-on-year to RM1.127 trillion in January-April 2026, driven by surging demand for high-growth, high-value (HGHV) products and a deliberate strategy of market diversification. In a statement, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) said exports surged 19% to RM609.31 billion and imports rose 11.1% to RM517.4 billion, marking the highest-ever recorded values for this period. “This resulted in a trade surplus of RM91.92 billion, a staggering 99.1% surge that effectively doubled the previous year’s performance,” it said, adding that Malaysia demonstrated extraordinary external sector resilience amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia. The export expansion in January-April was anchored by robust demand for electrical and electronic (E&E) products, which grew by RM71 billion or 32.1% thanks a global semiconductor boom fuelled by AI adoption, cloud computing, and data centre expansion. Pharmaceutical and automotive products added further dimension to the HGHV narrative, posting double-digit growth of 21.9% and 10.3%, respectively. April also delivered exceptional results, with monthly exports climbing 36.9% to RM182.74 billion and monthly trade surplus soaring 460.5% to RM28.75 billion – the highest values ever recorded in Malaysia’s trade history. According to Matrade, exports to the US grew 32.5%, followed by Taiwan (68.9%), Hong Kong (43%), China (18.7%), the EU (23.9%), and Asean (8.6%), largely catalysed by E&E shipments. Most notably, Malaysia’s trade diversification moved into a high-growth phase that extends well beyond its traditional pillars. Emerging markets registered exponential growth, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (196.6%), Sudan (223.1%), Zimbabwe (220.5%), Bulgaria (141.6%), Haiti (103.5%), Ethiopia (88.1%), and Uzbekistan (29.7%) leading the surge. This reflects a systematic expansion of Malaysia’s trade footprint into high-growth, underserved markets across Africa and Eastern Europe, said Matrade.