Malaysia Q1 GDP Growth Revised Slightly Higher

2026-05-15 04:23 By Kyrie Dichosa 1 min. read

Malaysia’s economy expanded 5.4% year-on-year in Q1 2026, slightly above preliminary estimates of 5.3%, but easing from 6.2% in Q4.

The slowdown was driven by weaker performance in mining and quarrying (-2.1% vs 1.4%), alongside softer growth in agriculture (2.6% vs 5.7%), manufacturing (5.9% vs 6.0%), and construction (7.7% vs 10.9%).

Services growth also moderated to 5.6% from 6.2%, though it remained the main driver of overall expansion.

On the expenditure side, growth slowed for private consumption (4.7% vs 5.6%), government spending (4.1% vs 6.6%), and fixed investment (7.3% vs 9.3%).

Net trade contributed positively, as exports grew 5.2% while imports rose at a softer pace of 4.6%.

On a quarterly basis, the economy was flat, marking the weakest performance since Q4 2022, following a revised 1.4% expansion in Q4.

Still, Governor Ghaffour said the economy is seen to remain resilient in 2026, with growth projected at 4%–5%, supported by steady domestic demand and export expansion.



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Malaysia Q1 GDP Growth Revised Slightly Higher
Malaysia’s economy expanded 5.4% year-on-year in Q1 2026, slightly above preliminary estimates of 5.3%, but easing from 6.2% in Q4. The slowdown was driven by weaker performance in mining and quarrying (-2.1% vs 1.4%), alongside softer growth in agriculture (2.6% vs 5.7%), manufacturing (5.9% vs 6.0%), and construction (7.7% vs 10.9%). Services growth also moderated to 5.6% from 6.2%, though it remained the main driver of overall expansion. On the expenditure side, growth slowed for private consumption (4.7% vs 5.6%), government spending (4.1% vs 6.6%), and fixed investment (7.3% vs 9.3%). Net trade contributed positively, as exports grew 5.2% while imports rose at a softer pace of 4.6%. On a quarterly basis, the economy was flat, marking the weakest performance since Q4 2022, following a revised 1.4% expansion in Q4. Still, Governor Ghaffour said the economy is seen to remain resilient in 2026, with growth projected at 4%–5%, supported by steady domestic demand and export expansion.
2026-05-15
Malaysia Economy Expands 5.3% in Q1
Malaysia’s economy expanded 5.3% year-on-year in Q1 2026, slowing from 6.3% in Q4, preliminary estimates showed. Growth moderated across most sectors, including services (5.4% vs 6.3% in Q4), with performance anchored by the wholesale and retail trade sector. DOSM attributed this to sustained consumer spending, supported by a stable labour market, higher incomes, and ongoing household-focused initiatives. Output also rose at a softer pace in manufacturing (5.8% vs 6.1%), construction (7.8% vs 11.0%), and agriculture (2.8% vs 5.4%). Meanwhile, mining and quarrying contracted (-1.1% vs +2.0%), primarily due to lower production of crude oil and condensate, as well as natural gas. Despite the overall slowdown, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the Q1 data pointed to an economy that remained fundamentally resilient amid rising global uncertainty, particularly from higher oil prices driven by geopolitical tensions.
2026-04-17
Malaysia Q4 GDP Growth Stronger Than Initially Thought
Malaysia’s economy expanded 6.3% year-on-year in Q4 2025, revised up from an initial 5.7% and accelerating from 5.4% growth in Q3. This marked the sharpest expansion since Q4 2022, with broad gains in agriculture (5.4% vs 0.1%), driven by oil palm output (16.2%), manufacturing (6.1% vs 4.1%), particularly vegetable and animal oils & fats (12%), and services (6.3% vs 5.5%), led by wholesale and retail trade (5.7%). Conversely, growth slowed in mining and quarrying (2% vs 9.7%) and construction (11% vs 11.8%). On the expenditure side, government spending (8% vs 7.1%), household consumption (5.3% vs 5%), and fixed investment (9.3% vs 7.4%) rose further. Meanwhile, net trade weighed on growth as imports jumped 7.9% (vs 0.7%), while exports increased by a smaller 3.9% (vs 1.7%). On a quarterly basis, GDP grew 0.8%, easing from 2.7% growth in Q3. For the full year, the economy expanded 5.2%.
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