The Second Highest Export Value Posted This Year, E&E Exports Hit Historic High

Malaysia’s trade continued to show resilience in September 2025, reversing the previous month’s contraction despite ongoing global trade uncertainties. Trade grew by 9.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM257.51 billion. Export growth remained robust for the third straight month, rising 12.2% y-o-y to RM138.68 billion, the second highest export value posted this year. Imports rebounded by 7.3% to RM118.82 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM19.86 billion, the 65th consecutive month of surplus since May 2020.

Export growth in September 2025 was recorded across all sectors. Expansion in the manufacturing sector was led by electrical and electronic (E&E) products which recorded their highest value, with an increase of nearly RM11 billion. Other main contributors included machinery, equipment and parts as well as optical and scientific equipment. Meanwhile, the mining sector rebounded after 13 months of contraction, mainly due to higher exports of metalliferous ores and metal scrap. As for agriculture sector, palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products recorded the largest increase.

Malaysia recorded an uptick in exports to major trading partners, namely ASEAN, China, the United States (US), Taiwan and the European Union (EU). Exports continued to expand to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners with significant increases registered for Mexico, India, Australia, New Zealand, Turkiye, the United Kingdom (UK), Pakistan and Canada.

For the period January to September 2025, Malaysia recorded the highest cumulative values for trade, exports and imports to date. Trade grew by 4.4% y-o-y to RM2.235 trillion. Exports rose 4.8% to RM1.170 trillion, while imports increased by 4.0% toRM1.064 trillion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM105.65 billion.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has raised its forecast for world merchandise trade volume growth in 2025 to 2.4% (cf. 0.9% in April 2025), driven by higher spending on AI-related products, a rise in North American imports ahead of tariff hikes and strong trade in other regions. In line with the global trend, the World Bank has revised Malaysia’s 2025 economic growth upwards to 4.1% (cf. 3.9% in April 2025). This reflects steady domestic demand and stronger-than-expected external demand especially in the E&E sector. Furthermore, the Economic Outlook 2026 projects Malaysia’s trade to expand by 3.9% in 2025, with exports growing by 3.3% and imports increasing by 4.6%.

However, ongoing trade tensions and the possibility of new tariff measures among major economies remain key challenges. These uncertainties may lead to supply chain disruptions, increased costs for exporters and volatility to Malaysia’s trade environment, potentially affecting the country’s ability to sustain steady growth. Malaysian exporters are therefore advised to diversify their markets, strengthen supply chain resilience and keep abreast of trade policy changes. With the support and guidance from MITI and MATRADE, exporters can better navigate these risks and seize new opportunities in the global market. Exporters are also encouraged to utilise the 18 Free Trade Agreements between Malaysia with various countries and economies.

Export Performance of Major Sectors      

All Sectors Recorded Export Expansion

In September 2025, exports of manufactured goods which represented 86.7% of total exports grew by 12.5% y-o-y to RM120.30 billion, due to solid exports of E&E products, machinery, equipment and parts, optical and scientific equipment as well as palm oil based manufactured products. Exports of E&E products recorded their highest value thus far. 

Exports of agriculture goods (6.9% share) in September 2025 recorded y-o-y increase for the second month in a row, expanding by 6.5% to RM9.57 billion on account of higher exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products following higher export volumes and prices. 

Exports of mining goods (5.2% share) in September 2025 improved by 4.3% y-o-y to RM7.24 billion underpinned by higher exports of metalliferous ores and metal scrap. 

Major exports in September 2025:  

• E&E products, valued at RM65.14 billion and accounted for 47.0% of total exports, increased by 19.5% compared to September 2024;
• Petroleum products, RM8.75 billion, 6.3% of total exports, ↑6.8%;
• Palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products, RM7.45 billion, 5.4% of total exports, ↑8.6%;
• Machinery, equipment and parts, RM6.34 billion, 4.6% of total exports, ↑14.7%; and
• Optical and scientific equipment, RM5.67 billion, 4.1% of total exports, ↑16.7%.

On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, exports of manufactured, agriculture and mining goods increased by 5.9%, 0.5% and 1.8%, respectively. 

During the first nine months of 2025, exports of manufactured goods climbed 6.0% to

RM1.012 trillion, surpassing the RM1 trillion mark a month earlier than in 2024. The growth was contributed by increased shipments of E&E products, machinery, equipment and parts as well as palm oil-based manufactured products. Exports of agriculture goods rose 7.1% to RM81.37 billion buoyed by growing exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products. Nevertheless, exports of mining goods shrank 14.8% to RM66.46 billion as a result of reduced exports of LNG and crude petroleum.

Trade Performance with Major Markets  

In September 2025, Malaysia’s trade with major trading partners namely ASEAN, China, the US, Taiwan and the EU accounted for 71.3% share of total trade.

ASEAN – Double-Digit Export Expansion

In September 2025, trade with ASEAN which contributed 25.9% to Malaysia’s total trade expanded by 9.4% y-o-y to RM66.59 billion. Exports continued to expand for the third consecutive month, registering double-digit growth of 19.2% to RM40.50 billion driven by higher demand for E&E products. Imports from ASEAN waned by 3.1% to RM26.08 billion. 

Breakdown of exports to ASEAN countries: 

Major markets in ASEAN that recorded export growth were Singapore which rose RM5.11 billion y-o-y, Thailand which expanded by RM643.6 million and Viet Nam which were higher by RM1.00 billion, following robust exports of E&E products. 

Compared to August 2025, trade, exports and imports grew by 5.0%, 8.4% and 0.1%, respectively.

For the period of January to September 2025, trade with ASEAN edged up by 0.1% to RM575.87 billion compared to the same period in 2024. Exports climbed 3.0% to RM339.97 billion led by robust demand for E&E products, machinery, equipment and parts as well as optical and scientific equipment. Imports from ASEAN contracted by

China – Sustained Export Growth for the Third Consecutive Month

Trade with China in September 2025 which took up 18.6% of Malaysia’s total trade, increased by 27.8% y-o-y to RM47.81 billion. Exports posted an increase for the third consecutive month, rising 2.9% to RM16.61 billion boosted by higher exports of metalliferous ores and metal scrap, palm oil-based manufactured products and petroleum products. Imports from China were up by 46.6% to RM31.20 billion. 

Compared to August 2025, trade and imports rose 6.9% and 13.5%, respectively while exports decreased by 3.7%.

During the first nine months of 2025, trade with China expanded by 8.6% to RM385.71 billion compared to the corresponding period in 2024. Exports edged down by 0.6% to RM136.34 billion, dragged by slower exports of LNG, chemicals and chemical products, manufactures of metal as well as paper and pulp products. The decline however was softened by increased exports of E&E products, metalliferous ores and metal scrap as well as machinery, equipment and parts. Imports from China soared by 14.3% to RM249.36 billion.

The US – Exports Rebounded with Double-Digit Growth

In September 2025, trade with the US which comprised 11.2% of Malaysia’s total trade rose 6.8% y-o-y to RM28.90 billion. Exports accelerated from negative growth recorded last month to double-digit expansion of 24.4% to RM20.07 billion, on account of robust exports of E&E products. Imports from the US were lower by 19.2% to RM8.83 billion. 

On a m-o-m basis, trade and exports increased by 11.0% and 23.5%, respectively while imports were down by 9.7%.

For the period of January to September 2025, trade with the US maintained its robust performance, expanding by 15.4% to RM270.88 billion. Exports rose 18.2% to RM166.38 billion, propelled by increased exports of E&E products, machinery, equipment and parts as well as processed food. Imports from the US increased by 11.2% to RM104.50 billion.

Taiwan – Trade Posted Double-Digit Expansion 

In September 2025, trade with Taiwan which absorbed 7.8% of Malaysia’s total trade maintained its strong performance, registering double-digit expansion of 30.5% y-o-y to RM20.17 billion. Exports rose 8.6% to RM7.79 billion, spurred by growing exports of machinery, equipment and parts as well as iron and steel products. Imports from Taiwan surged by 49.5% to RM12.38 billion.

On a m-o-m basis, trade and exports rose 1.4% and 10.1%, respectively while imports decreased by 3.4%.

In January to September 2025, trade with Taiwan surged by 33.7% compared to the same period last year, reaching RM172.74 billion. Exports soared by 27.2% to RM61.98 billion, owing to larger shipments of E&E products, optical and scientific equipment as well as machinery, equipment and parts. Imports from Taiwan expanded by 37.7% to RM110.76 billion. 

The EU – Exports Increased for the Eighth Successive Month

In September 2025, trade with the EU which made up 7.8% of Malaysia’s total trade grew by 12.0% y-o-y to RM20.02 billion. Exports increased for the eighth successive month, posting double-digit expansion of 19.7% to RM11.86 billion, fuelled by solid exports of E&E products as well as palm oil and palm oil-based products. Imports from the EU increased by 2.4% to RM8.16 billion. 

Within the EU, the top 10 markets which comprised 91.8% of Malaysia’s total exports to the region were:

Exports to the Netherlands rose RM1.10 billion y-o-y on solid exports of E&E products, exports to Spain expanded by RM314.0 million aided by higher demand for iron and steel products and exports to Italy climbed RM215.5 million following robust shipments of palm oil and palm oil-based products. 

Compared to August 2025, exports were up by 4.0%, while trade and imports edged down by 0.3% and 6.0%, respectively.

For the period of January to September 2025, trade with the EU expanded by 1.5% to RM165.61 billion compared to the same period last year. Exports increased by 7.4% to RM93.10 billion on the back of strong exports of E&E products as well as palm oil-based manufactured products. Imports from the EU reduced by 5.1% to RM72.52 billion.

Trade with FTA Partners   

In September 2025, trade with FTA partners which constituted 64.3% of Malaysia’s total trade grew by 9.0% y-o-y to RM165.64 billion. Exports to FTA partners recorded double digit expansion of 10.2% to RM90.34 billion while imports rose 7.5% to RM75.30 billion. 

Increases in exports were recorded to Mexico, which surged by 112.6% to RM2.73 billion, to Australia which edged up by 4.1% to RM3.83 billion and to Canada grew by 6.0% to RM432.3 million, due to robust exports of E&E products.

Additionally, exports to India soared by 28.7% to RM4.50 billion and exports to Pakistan rose 13.1% to RM457.2 million following increased exports of palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products. 

Similarly, exports to New Zealand jumped 38.3% to RM500.0 million aided by robust shipments of petroleum products, exports to Turkiye rose 7.3% to RM1.52 billion following increased demand for manufactures of metal and exports to the UK grew by 9.5% to RM759.8 million led by higher exports of machinery, equipment and parts. 

Compared to August 2025, trade, exports and imports increased by 3.2%, 2.5% and 4.0%, respectively.

Trade with FTA partners during the first nine months of 2025 rose 1.6% to RM1.430 trillion compared to the same period in 2024. Exports edged up by 1.3% to RM770.59 billion and imports expanded by 1.9% to RM659.59 billion.

Import Performance  

Total imports in September 2025 rebounded by 7.3% y-o-y to RM118.82 billion. The three main categories of imports by end use, which accounted for 69.0% of total imports were: 

• Intermediate goods, valued at RM54.25 billion or 45.7% of total imports, declined by 7.6%, due to lower imports of parts and accessories of non-transport capital goods;

• Capital goods, valued at RM18.51 billion or 15.6% of total imports, increased by 9.3%, as a result of higher imports of non-transport capital goods; and

• Consumption goods, valued at RM9.25 billion or 7.8% of total imports, grew by 5.1%, due to increased imports of durables.

Compared to August 2025, total imports improved by 2.9% with imports of capital goods climbed 17.8%, while imports of intermediate and consumption goods fell 10.0% and 1.8%, respectively. 

During the period of January to September 2025, total imports increased by 4.0% to RM1.064 trillion compared to the same period last year. Imports of intermediate goods shrank 5.1% to RM533.35 billion, imports of capital goods expanded by 29.7% to RM159.77 billion and imports of consumption goods edged down by 0.3% to RM87.17 billion.