Reports for February and March showed similar statistics – increase in trade surplus. However, there’s a big jump between March and April, which is 43.9%, exports higher by 8.2% compared to March, but imports also increased slightly by 1.67%. The main contributors for export are the same – electronics, palm oil, petroleum, and chemical products. The report did not mention about volume of exported products, so we can’t say if its higher volume or higher price (due to market demand and currency rates) that increased the sales.

Hmmm..what am I trying to say?

If I sell 10 kg of apples at RM5 per kilo, that’s RM50 sales.

volume X price= sales

To increase sales, I have to increase either volume or price, or both. So, which is which? A check on MITI’ website also does not provide details on both price or volume.

Malaysia’s trade surplus grew sharply to RM11.48 billion in April as exports jumped 20.9 percent, according to official data released today.

The April surplus was 95.8 percent higher than the same period last year, and up 43.9 percent from March, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry said.

Exports reached RM55.8 billion, a 20.9 percent increase from April 2007 and up 8.2 percent compared to March this year.

“Major product sectors which contributed to the increase in exports in April 2008 were electrical and electronics products, palm oil, crude petroleum as well as chemicals and chemical products,” the ministry said.

April imports grew 10 percent from last year to RM44.32 billion and were 1.67 percent higher against March levels.

Malaysia’s exports to the United States, its main trading partner, grew to RM7.89 billion in April, a 6.4 percent increase from the same period last year on higher exports of electrical and electronic products.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/83891

I wrote about the IMD’s Competitiveness Yearbook 2007’s results early of this year. 2008 results are just out. I’ll post the details later, but for the moment, our rankings improved 4 notches to reach 19th place. Good news indeed. However, the points this year are lower, meaning those above us previously had got much lower points – possibly due to economic stagnations? More later.

source

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has improved on its world competitiveness ranking in the International Institute for Management Development’s (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook 2008 (WCY08).

In a report issued by the IMD on Thursday, Malaysia moved up four spots to 19th place with a score of 73.2 points out of 100.

Last year, Malaysia was ranked 23rd with 74.1 points. The United States maintained its first placing, while Singapore and Hong Kong maintained theirs at second and third respectively.

RAM Holdings Bhd chief economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng said the ranking was a “timely boost” for the economy. He said the rise was mainly due to significant improvement in the delivery system and other measures taken by the Government to improve efficiency and competition.

Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd economist Wan Suhaimi Saidi said that while the measures taken did have an impact, the ranking only gave a “first impression” to investors. He said the country still faced a host of challenges despite moving up the rankings.

Well, some tell me inflation in Malaysia is actually between 7 and 8%, not sure how those figures were obtained.  But how many of us actually believe that inflation in malaysia is below 3%? Petrol price increased 50 sen in last three years, but still under control. But prices of many foodstuff (raw and processed) has increased tremendously. We are getting less for the same amount of money we spend. the mee goreng portion looks smaller, the teh tarik looks lighter.

But i understand that cost of things in Singapore is also increasing steadily. they are affected by the global prices increases as well.

» Read more: lowest inflation rate in the region