Malaysia’s Jan exports rise 1.6% y/y, below forecast

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s exports rose 1.6% from a year earlier in January, slower than expected, government data showed on Monday.

January’s exports had been forecast to expand 7.4%, according to 10 economists surveyed by Reuters.

Imports in January grew 2.3% from a year earlier, data from the International Trade and Industry Ministry showed. Analysts were expecting an annual increase of 10.1%.

Malaysia recorded a trade surplus of 18.16 billion ringgit ($4.10 billion) in January, narrowing from a revised surplus figure of 28.14 billion ringgit the previous month. 

($1 = 4.4300 ringgit)

(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor)