PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade recorded sales value of RM142.5 billion in August, up 6.7% compared with the same month in 2022.
On a month-on-month comparison, the sales value grew 2%.
In a statement today, Chief Statistician Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said, “The increase of 6.7% year-on-year for wholesale and retail trade in August 2023 was attributed to the wholesale trade sub-sector, which rose 6.2% or RM3.7 billion to RM63.9 billion.
“Retail trade expanded by 6.3% or RM3.6 billion to RM60.5 billion, followed by motor vehicles with an increase of 9.7% or RM1.6 billion to RM18.1 billion.”
Meanwhile, the 2% or RM2.8 billion increase from the previous month was contributed by motor vehicles with an increase of RM1.2 billion or 7.1%. In the same period, retail trade recorded a growth of 1.4% or RM0.9 billion, while wholesale trade rose 1.2% or RM0.8 billion compared with the month before.
Mohd Uzir said the growth of 6.2% year-on-year in wholesale trade was attributed to other specialised wholesale which rose RM1.5 billion or 6.2% to RM25 billion.
This was followed by wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco (8.1%); household goods (5.4%); agricultural raw materials and live animals (7.9%); non-specialised trade (6.3%); wholesale on a fee or contract basis (10.3%); and machinery, equipment and supplies (1.0%).
On a monthly comparison, wholesale trade rose 1.2%, mainly attributable to other specialised wholesale (1.8%); household goods (2.2%); and machinery, equipment and supplies (1.1%).
In retail trade sub-sector, the increase of 6.3% year-on-year was supported by retail sales in non-specialised stores which grew 9.2% or RM1.9 billion to RM23 billion.
Other groups in this sub-sector also recorded positive growth, namely retail sales in specialised stores (5.7%); automotive fuel (8.9%); food, beverages and tobacco (13.3%); household goods (1.9%); sales in stalls and markets (7.1%); cultural and recreation goods (0.5%); and sales not in stores, stalls or markets (1.3%).
On aonth-on-month basis, sales of this sub-sector edged up 1.4%, supported by retail sales in non-specialised stores (1.3%), specialised stores (2.4%) and automotive fuel (2.3%).
Mohd Uzir Mahidin said, “The year-on-year growth of 9.7% for the motor vehicles sub-sector in this month was fuelled by sales of motor vehicles parts and accessories which accelerated 20.7% or RM0.8 billion to record RM4.7 billion.
This was followed by sales of motor vehicles (6.2%) and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (21.6%).
For monthly comparison, this sub-sector rose 7.1%, driven by sales of motor vehicles (13.2%), motor vehicles parts and accessories (1.6%) and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles (1.8%).”