Wholesale trade surge lifts retail sales 10.5pct to RM173bil in August

Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade sales surged by 10.5% year-on-year to RM173 billion in August, propelled by robust wholesale trade activity, particularly in petroleum-related products. Wholesale trade saw the most significant growth, increasing 16.5% to RM81.2 billion, mainly driven by other specialized wholesale, which surged 35.6% to RM35.1 billion, primarily from higher sales of petrol, diesel, lubricants, and liquefied petroleum gas.

Retail trade sales expanded by 6.5% to RM71.7 billion, with motor vehicle sales rising 2.5% to RM20.1 billion. Retail trade growth was mostly driven by non-specialized store sales, which rose 7.5% to RM28.1 billion, supported by increased sales at supermarkets and department stores. Specialized store retail sales increased 6.9% to RM15 billion, mainly due to higher demand for pharmaceutical and medical goods.

Wholesale sales of household goods rose 5.9% to RM15.5 billion, supported by higher demand for pharmaceutical and medical goods and clothing. Wholesale sales of agricultural raw materials and live animals grew 6.8% to RM6.9 billion, driven by stronger demand for palm oil. Volume-wise, the wholesale and retail trade index increased 3.6% year-on-year, led by wholesale trade at 4%, followed by retail trade at 3.8%, and motor vehicles at 1.5%. However, month-over-month, the volume index declined by 0.5%.