Posted on 10 Apr 2014
Malaysia’s factory output rose 6.7% in February 2014, exceeding economists’ forecast of a 6.2% growth, underpinned by manufacturing.
The Statistics Department said on Thursday the increase was due to the higher growth in manufacturing index (9.8%) and electricity index (8.7%). The mining index fell 1.4%.
“The IPI in January 2014 has been revised positive 3.5% on-year,” it said.
The department said in seasonally adjusted terms, the IPI in February 2014 increased by 2.9% on-month.
The factors driving the increase were a 3.7% rise in manufacturing index and growth of 4.3% in the electricity index. Mining fell 1.7%.
“On a yearly basis, manufacturing output expanded by 9.8% in February 2014 following an increase of 4.8% (revised) in January 2014,” it said.
The department said the sub-sectors which recorded growth in February 2014 were electrical and electronics products (16.4%); transport equipment and other manufactures (52.5%) and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (4.0%).
“On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output rose by 3.7% in February 2014,” it said.
