KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): Malaysia’s export outlook is expected to remain challenging in 2026 as economists forecast a slowdown driven by renewed US tariffs, heigntened geopolitical risks, and the fading of "front-loading" activities. This cautious outlook comes despite a historic performance in 2025, where Malaysia's exports grew by 6.5% to reach an all-time high of RM1.61 trillion, supported by a strong finish in December, with shipments abroad surging 10.4% to RM153 billion from a year earlier. December's growth far exceeded the 2.5% median estimate in a Bloomberg survey and a sharp acceleration from November's 7% growth. For the full year of 2025, Malaysia's exports grew 6.5%, while imports rose 6.2%, raising total trade by 6.3% past RM3.1 trillion for the first time. “These spillovers could, however, provide a potential tailwind for Malaysia’s trade as global supply-chain diversification further gathers pace,” it said.
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