FX.co ★ Malaysia GDP Growth Slows to 4.4% in Q1

In the first quarter of 2025, Malaysia's economy grew by 4.4% compared to the same period last year, slowing from a 5% expansion in the preceding quarter, based on preliminary figures. This represents the slowest growth rate in a year, attributed to moderated expansion across several sectors including services, which grew 5.2% compared to 5.4% in the fourth quarter, construction with a growth of 14.5% down from 20.7%, and manufacturing at 4.2%, slightly lower than the previous 4.4%. Concurrently, there was a notable decline in the mining and quarrying sector, with a contraction of 4.9%, a steeper drop from the previous quarter’s 0.9% decline, as a result of decreased production of crude oil, condensate, and natural gas. On a positive note, the agriculture sector showed recovery with a 0.7% growth, a turnaround from a 0.5% contraction, bolstered by improved performance in fishing and other sub-sectors. On a quarterly basis, the economy saw a contraction of 3.7%, a downturn from the 2.7% growth experienced in the final quarter of last year.