KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales in October 2021 returned to their highest level on record, rebounding 5.4% year-on-year to RM116.4 billion, according to Malaysia’s Department of Statistics (DoSM).
Chief Statistician Malaysia 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. During the same period, motor vehicles rebounded by 10.2% or RM1.3 billion to reach RM14.2 billion, after a series of double-digit negative growths since June 2021,” a- he said in a statement today.
For a month-over-month comparison, he said the value of wholesale and retail sales rose 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 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 RM11.2 billion.
“This was followed by other specialist wholesalers with 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 higher commodity prices.
“For a monthly comparison, sales in this sub-sector increased by 5.3%,” he explained.
Regarding the retail subsector, he said the 5.1% increase was attributed to retail sales at non-specialty stores which saw an increase of 8.2% or RM1.3 billion. at 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 items (3.8%), retail sales not in stores, stalls or markets (28.6%), retail sales of cultural and recreational goods (4.8%), retail sales of information and communication equipment (0.6%) and retail sales in stalls and markets (11.4%). percent).
However, he noted that retail sales at specialty stores 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 grew by 1.3% year-on-year.
He added that the expansion was attributed to motor vehicles which rose 7.0%, followed by retail with 2.2%.
“However, wholesale trade recorded negative growth of -1.2%. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted volume index rose 5.9% month-on-month,” he said. – Bernama
