Malaysia economy shows resilience with 5.3% Q3 GDP growth

Malaysia’s economy demonstrated significant resilience in the third quarter of 2026, with GDP expanding by 5.3 per cent. This growth exceeded expectations and was primarily driven by a 5.4 per cent expansion in the services sector, including wholesale, retail, finance, and insurance. While the mining and quarrying sectors contracted, the overall economy grew by 5.5 per cent for the first nine months of the year, surpassing the 4.8 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

Complementing this growth, Malaysia’s total trade reached RM2.91 trillion from January to September 2026, representing a 30.1 per cent year-on-year increase. Exports rose by 34 per cent to RM1.571 trillion, while imports grew by 25.7 per cent to RM1.339 trillion. This resulted in a trade surplus of RM232.38 billion, an increase of 115.7 per cent compared to the previous year.

Key drivers for the trade surge included electrical and electronic (E&E) products, fueled by global demand for semiconductors and artificial intelligence investments. Other contributing sectors included petroleum, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and metal products. September 2026 marked a record high for monthly total trade, exports, and imports. The strengthening economic data is expected to support the ringgit, with analysts projecting it to trade within the RM4.07 to RM4.09 range against the US dollar.