Malaysia Leading Index Falls 0.6% in January

Malaysia's leading economic index fell by 0.6% month-on-month in January 2026, rebounding from a downwardly revised 0.4% rise in the previous month. Declines were recorded for real money supply, M1 (-0.4% vs 0.4% in December), Bursa Malaysia Industrial Index (-0.2% vs -0.1%), real imports of semiconductors (-0.02% vs 0.4%), and the number of companies registered (-0.04% vs 0.2%). On the other hand, real imports of other basic precious and other non-ferrous metals (-0.1% vs -0.2%) fell at a slower pace, while the number of housing units approved (0.1% vs -0.3%) rebounded. On a yearly basis, the leading index grew 0.6%, accelerating from 0.1% in December and marking the highest reading in three months. Meanwhile, the coincident index, a gauge of current economic conditions, rose 0.9% month-over-month, from an upwardly revised 0.3% in December 2025.

Malaysia's leading economic index rose by 0.5% month-on-month in December 2025, rebounding from a downwardly revised 2.2% fall in the previous month. The majority of components showed strength, including real money supply, M1 (0.5% vs 0.02% in November), Bursa Malaysia Industrial Index (-0.2% vs -0.4%), real imports of semiconductors (0.2% vs -0.7%), and real imports of other basic precious and non-ferrous metals (-0.3% vs -0.7%), expected sales value, manufacturing (0.4% vs 0%), and the number of new companies registered (0.3% vs -0.3%). On the other hand, the number of housing units approved continued to decline to 0.4% from 0.1% in the previous month. On a yearly basis, the leading index rose marginally by 0.1% in December 2025, supported by increases in the real money supply M1 (7.3%) and real imports of semiconductors (4.8%). Meanwhile, the coincident index, a gauge of current economic conditions, fell 0.02%, reversing an upwardly revised 0.4% in November 2025.

Malaysia’s leading economic index fell 2.4% month-on-month in November 2025, reversing a downwardly revised 2.4% increase in the previous month. This marked the fifth decline so far in 2025, with five of the seven components decreasing. Declines were seen in housing units approved (-0.1% vs 0.5% in October), real imports of other basic precious and non-ferrous metals (-0.7% vs 1.5%), real semiconductor imports (-0.9% vs 0.6%), new company registrations (-0.3% vs -0.1%), and the Bursa Malaysia Industrial Index (-0.4% vs -0.1%). Meanwhile, real money supply (0.02% vs 0.1%) and manufacturing sales value (0.0005% vs -0.1%) both edged up. On a year-on-year basis, the leading index rose 0.2%, following a downwardly revised 3.4% gain in the previous month. Meanwhile, the coincident index, a gauge of current economic conditions, fell 0.5%, reversing a 0.6% gain in October.