KUALA LUMPUR (December 10): Malaysia’s wholesale and retail sales in October 2021 returned to their highest level on record, rebounding 5.4% year-on-year to RM116.4 billion, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was attributed to the wholesale trade sub-sector, which continued to record positive growth of 4.4% or RM2.4 billion to record RM55.8 billion in October 2021.
“Retail also grew by 5.1% or RM2.3 billion to RM46.5 billion. Over the same period, motor vehicles rebounded by 10.2% or RM1.3 billion to RM14.2 billion after a run of double-digit negative growth since June 2021,” he said. he said in a statement Friday, December 10).
For a month-over-month comparison, he said the value of wholesale and retail sales increased 7.7%, supported by the reopening of various economic sectors and interstate travel to from October 11.
Regarding the performance of the sub-sectors, Mohd Uzir said that the growth of the wholesale trade sub-sector of 4.4% in October was supported by the wholesale trade of food, beverages and tobacco, which increased by 10.6% or RM1.1 billion to reach RM11.2 billion.
“This was followed by other specialist wholesalers at 5.1% to register RM22.1 billion,” he said.
Likewise, he said the wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals increased by 13.1 percent to RM4.7 billion, due to rising commodity prices.
“For a monthly comparison, sales in this sub-sector increased by 5.3%,” he explained.
Regarding the retail sub-sector, he said the 5.1% increase was attributed to retail sales at non-specialty stores, which recorded an increase of 8.2% or 1.3 billion dollars. RM to RM17.2 billion.
At the same time, other groups within this sub-sector also recorded positive growth, namely retail sales of automotive fuels (17.8%), retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco (8. 7%), retail sales of household goods (3.8%), retail sales not in stores, stalls or markets (28.6%), retail trade in cultural and leisure goods (4.8% ), retail of information and communication equipment (0.6%) and retail stall and market (11.4%).
However, he noted that specialty store retail sales remained negative for a fifth consecutive month at -3.9%.
“As a monthly comparison, retail trade grew 4.8%, with all groups in this sub-sector posting positive growth,” he said.
Mohd Uzir also said the 10.2% growth in the motor vehicle subsector for the month was attributed to motor vehicle sales, which rebounded 25.5% or RM1.8 billion at 9 RM.1 billion.
In terms of volume index, wholesale and retail trade recorded annual growth of 1.3%.
He added that the expansion was attributed to motor vehicles, which rose 7%, followed by retail trade at 2.2%.
“In contrast, wholesale trade recorded negative growth of -1.2%. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted volume index was up 5.9% month-on-month,” he said.
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