PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s trade performance recorded a positive growth in July 2025 with a total trade exhibiting an increase of 3.8% from RM256.2 billion in the previous year to RM265.9 billion.
This performance primarily driven by a marginal growth in imports by 0.6%, reaching RM125.5 billion and exports by 6.8%, valued at RM140.4 billion in July 2025, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia yesterday.
Chief Statistician Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said, Malaysia’s exports increased in July 2025 in tandem with the rise in re-exports (26.4% to total exports) escalated by 42% as compared to July 2024, worth RM37 billion.
On the other hand, domestic exports (73.6% to total exports), downed by 1.9% to RM103.4 billion. Meanwhile, imports worth RM125.5 billion recorded marginal increase of 0.6%.
Trade surplus escalated by 120.7% to RM15 billion, 63rd consecutive month of surplus since May 2020. Comparing with June 2025, exports, imports, total trade and trade balance recorded an increase of 15.5%, 10.9%, 13.3% and 78.2%, respectively.
From a commodity group perspective, 140 out of 258 export groups and 118 out of 259 import groups showed an increase as compared to the same month of the previous year.
Mohd Uzir said higher exports was primarily driven by increased shipments to Singapore (+RM4.7 billion), followed by Taiwan (+RM2.5 billion), Mexico (+RM1 billion), China (+RM1 billion), the US (+RM680.2 million), the European Union (+RM589.4 million) and the UAE (+RM394.6 million).
Moreover, the increase in imports was mainly attributed to higher inflows from Taiwan (+RM5.2 billion), followed by China (+RM1.7 billion), Republic of Korea (+RM1.6 billion), Vietnam (+RM825.2 million), Oman (+RM755.7 million), Sudan (+RM696.7 million) and Saudi Arabia (+RM679.7 million).
Further commenting on exports, Mohd Uzir said the increase was largely attributed to higher shipments of E&E products (+RM11.6 billion); machinery, equipment & parts (+RM936.1 million); palm oil-based manufactured products (+RM529.7 million); optical & scientific equipment (+RM492.3 million); processed food (+RM440.5 million); and metalliferous ores & metal scrap (+RM224.7 million).
In addition, import growth was driven by higher inflows of electrical & electronic products (+RM5.4 billion); crude petroleum (+RM771.2 million); optical & scientific equipment (+RM741.3 million); transport equipment (+RM443.2 million); other manufactures (+RM385.6 million); and palm oil & palm-based agriculture products (+RM380.6 million).
Additionally, he also underscored the upsurge in imports by End Use reflected increased demand for capital good. Imports of capital goods (14.5% of total imports), climbed by 20.6% or RM3.1 billion to post a value of RM18.2 billion.
However, consumption goods (8.3% of total imports), downed by 5% or RM546.3 million to post a value of RM10.4 billion.
Malaysia’s total trade for the period of January to July 2025 improved by 4.7% to RM1.7 trillion, supported by growth in exports (+4.3%) and imports (+5.1%). Nonetheless, trade surplus decreased by 4.7% to post a value of RM70.3 billion as compared to the same period in 2024.