Gross domestic product (GDP) rose 5.6% from a year earlier, Bank Negara Malaysia said in a statement Friday. Compared with the previous quarter, GDP rose 1.8% versus the 1.2% economists had forecast. The central bank forecast growth of as much as 4.8% this year from 4.2% in 2016. Bank Negara Malaysia last week kept interest rates unchanged and said the growth momentum will be sustained this year. Exports growth accelerated to 9.8% from 2.2% while growth in services quickened to 5.8% and manufacturing climbed 5.6%.

Source: Bangkok Post May 19, 2017 05:20 UTC