Malaysia’s industrial production grew at a pace of 4.6 percent in January from a year ago, the Department of Statistics showed Monday. The rate of growth improved from 3.5 percent in December, but slower than the 5.5 percent rise forecast by economists.
The overall annual growth was underpinned by a 4.9 percent rise in manufacturing and a 9.8 percent expansion of electricity output. Mining output advanced 2.4 percent.
On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, the industrial production index contracted by 0.8 percent in January which was attributed by the reduction in manufacturing index and mining index of 1.5 percent and 1 percent respectively. On the other hand, electricity output surged 9.3 percent.
In a separate report, the statistical office said the sales value of the manufacturing sector registered an annual growth of 7.4 percent in January, following a 7.5 percent rise in December. Month-on-month, the sales value fell 0.9 percent in January, it said.
