13-6-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) The wholesale and retail trade sector in Malaysia experienced a positive growth trend in April, according to official data released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on Monday. The monthly sales value reached 136 billion ringgit (29.45 billion U.S. dollars), reflecting a year-on-year increase of 6.3 percent.
The retail trade sub-sector played a significant role in driving this growth, with a notable increase of 12.9 percent, amounting to 60.5 billion ringgit. This surge was supported by robust retail sales in non-specialized stores across the country.
Additionally, the wholesale trade sub-sector exhibited a positive trend, expanding by 3.2 percent to reach 60.9 billion ringgit. This growth was primarily driven by the rise in wholesale food, beverages, and tobacco sales.
However, the motor vehicles sector faced a decline of 5.1 percent, amounting to 14.6 billion ringgit. This downturn can be attributed to a decrease in motor vehicle sales during the period under review.
When considering month-on-month comparisons, the overall sales value of the wholesale and retail trade sector experienced a slight decline of 1.8 percent. This decrease can be attributed to downturns in both the motor vehicles sector and the wholesale trade sub-sector.
