KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 10): Malaysians splurged heavily in a December packed with school holidays and festive events, lifting wholesale and retail sales to an all-time high in 2025.

Wholesale and retail trade totalled RM163.7 billion in December 2025, an increase of 7.6% when compared to the same month of 2024, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said in a statement. Annual sales in 2025 rose 5.6% to a new record high of RM1.87 trillion.

On a month-on-month basis, distributive trade rose 3% in December compared to a contraction of 1.2% in November.

Year-on-year, retail sales expanded 6.9% to RM70.4 billion, driven by provision stores, supermarkets, department stores and supermarkets as well as specialised stores amid school holidays, as well as Christmas and New Year festivities.

Retail sales of automotive fuels, in particular, climbed from higher travel activity and consumer demand for computers, computer accessories and telecommunications equipment, while video game consoles and software also rose in December.

Wholesale trade, meanwhile, increased 6.9% to RM71.1 billion, driven by petrol, diesel, lubricants, construction materials, hardware and plumbing, as well as heating equipment and supplies.

The motor vehicle sub-sector rose 15.7% to a new monthly high of RM12.5 billion as rebates, year-end promotions, and clearance of older stocks boosted new vehicle sales.

After adjusting for price changes, the volume index of wholesale and retail trade registered a 6.4% growth in December against the same month in 2024. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the index also rebounded 1.2% month-on-month.

Online retail sales accelerated in December, rising 8.9% year-on-year versus a 7.3% growth in the previous month, lifting digital banking and payment activities.