Tested by Turbulence: MATRADE's Analysis on Malaysia's Resilient 1H 2026 Trade Performance

Malaysia's H1 2026 trade performance reached a record RM1.796 trillion (+22.4% YoY), with exports surging 27.5% to RM971.59 billion — the fastest growth since 2021. The trade surplus expanded 159.8% to RM147.15 billion, equal to 94% of full-year 2025 surplus. The E&E sector led with +42.5% growth to RM467.95 billion (48.2% of total exports), while GDP grew 5.6% in H1. Malaysia climbed to 15th in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking, up from 23rd in 2025.