Malaysia Leading Index Falls for 3rd Month

Malaysia's leading economic index edged down 0.1% month-on-month in March 2026, following a 0.3% decline in the previous month. It marked a third straight monthly drop, weighed down by declines in real imports of semiconductors (-0.9% vs -0.8%) and the number of companies registered (-0.1% vs -0.6%). Meanwhile, increases were seen in real money supply M1 (0.3% vs 0.6%), the Bursa Malaysia Industrial Index (0.02% vs 0.2%), and real imports of other basic precious and non-ferrous metals (0.3% vs 0.5%), while the number of housing units approved rebounded (0.3% vs -0.2%). On an annual basis, the leading index rose 0.5%, easing from an upwardly revised 0.8% in February. Meanwhile, the coincident index, a gauge of current economic conditions, rose 0.8% month-on-month, rebounding from a 1.4% fall in February.

Malaysia's leading economic index fell 0.3% month-on-month in February 2026, following an upwardly revised 0.7% decline in the previous month. It marked a second straight monthly drop, weighed down by real imports of semiconductors (-0.6% vs -0.02%), the number of companies registered (-0.6% vs -0.04%), and the number of housing units approved (-0.4% vs 0.1%). By contrast, sub-indices that increased included real money supply, M1 (0.7% vs -0.4% in January), the Bursa Malaysia Industrial Index (0.2% vs -0.2%), and real imports of other basic precious and non-ferrous metals (0.5% vs -0.1%). On an annual basis, the leading index rose 0.5%, easing from 0.6% in January, which was the highest reading in three months. Meanwhile, the coincident index, a gauge of current economic conditions, fell 1.4% month-on-month, reversing a 0.9% rise 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.