ENCOURAGING 4.8% YEAR-ON-YEAR TRADE GROWTH FOR JANUARY–JUNE 2025
Palm Oil and E&E Products Boost Exports in June 2025
Malaysia’s trade performance remained firm in the first half (1H) of 2025, recording the highest cumulative value for trade, exports and imports to date. Trade increased by 4.8% to RM1.465 trillion compared to the corresponding period in 2024. Exports were up by 3.8% to RM760.2 billion and imports rose 5.9% to RM704.67 billion. Trade surplus was valued at RM55.53 billion.
Trade performance for June 2025, however, experienced a modest 1.2% decline to RM234.85 billion compared to June 2024. Exports contracted by 3.5% to RM121.72 billion, while imports rose 1.2% to RM113.13 billion. Notably, trade surplus rebounded to RM8.59 billion in June 2025, compared to RM759.9 million recorded in May 2025. This marked the 62nd consecutive month of surplus since May 2020, reflecting continued resilience in Malaysia’s external trade position.
The decline in exports for the month of June 2025 was primarily attributed to lower shipments of manufactured and mining goods, particularly petroleum products, liquified natural gas (LNG) and crude petroleum. This contraction was partly cushioned by continued strength in exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agricultural products, which posted double-digit growth in June 2025, extending its growth streak to 15 consecutive months. This was also supported by increased exports of machinery, equipment and parts as well as electrical and electronics (E&E) products. The growth in E&E exports is consistent with the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) projection of an 11.2% rise in global semiconductor sales for 2025.
In terms of destinations, exports to major trading partners namely the United States (US), the European Union (EU) and Taiwan registered growth in June 2025. Increase was also recorded to Mexico, driven primarily by higher shipments of E&E products.
In terms of the US tariff measures, Malaysia remains committed to continuing engagement to achieve a balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade arrangement. MITI and MATRADE are also intensifying efforts to build a more resilient trade ecosystem. This includes diversifying our export markets and strengthening trade ties through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), to expand the base of our trading partnerships and develop an economy that will be more resilient to external challenges.
Further details of Malaysia’s Trade Performance for June 2025 and January-June 2025 are available in the Appendix below, which should be read together with the Notes accompanying this report.
