Malaysia’s export sector recorded a sharp acceleration at the start of 2026, with year-over-year growth rising to 19.6% in January 2026, up from 10.4% in December 2025. The latest figures, updated on 20 February 2026, indicate a significant strengthening in external demand compared with the same period a year earlier.
The data are based on a year-over-year comparison, where the current reading reflects the change in exports in January 2026 relative to January 2025. Similarly, the previous figure of 10.4% captured export growth in December 2025 compared with December 2024. The near-doubling of the growth rate from December to January suggests that momentum in Malaysia’s trade sector has picked up notably heading into the new year.
While detailed drivers were not provided, the strong January performance underscores Malaysia’s continued integration into global supply chains and may bolster overall economic prospects if the trend persists in the coming months.
