KUALA LUMPUR (March 28): Malaysia’s export prices rose by 0.1% to 151.2 points in February, compared to the previous month, while import prices climbed 0.3% to 128.1 points, mainly contributed by mineral fuels, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin highlighted that the higher export prices were primarily driven by an increase in the indices of mineral fuels (2.5%), food (0.7%) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (0.6%).

However, he said the export volume index fell 3.8%, in line with the reduction in the index of mineral fuels (12.4%), animal and vegetable oils and fats (5%) as well as machinery and transport equipment (4.7%).

“The seasonally adjusted export volume index was up 2.3% to 162.8 points. Referring to the annual comparison, the unit value index and volume index went up by 2.8% and 3.3%, respectively,” he said in a statement today.

The index of mineral fuels (+2%), miscellaneous manufactured articles (+0.4%) and food (+0.1%) all contributed to a 0.3% increase in the import unit value index in February.

The import volume index was down by 11.6% in February compared to the previous month, contributed by the decrease in the index of manufactured goods (17.9%), machinery and transport equipment (15.9%) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (11.4%).

The seasonally adjusted import volume index went down by 2% to 208.7 points from 212.9 points, while a year-on-year comparison showed that the unit value index slipped by 1.4% and the volume index rose by 7%.

Malaysia's terms of trade dropped 0.2% month-on-month to 118.2 points in February, driven by the decrease in the index of animal and vegetable oils and fats (2%), machinery and transport equipment (0.5%) and manufactured goods (0.1%). However, the terms of trade climbed 4.2% year-on-year.

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