Malaysia’s Leading Index Shows Brighter Economic Outlook Ahead: Data

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Malaysia’s leading index has signalled a brighter economic outlook in Nov, 2019, until Jan, 2020, according to official data released today (Wednesday).

Malaysian Statistics Department, said, the leading index that signals the direction of economic movements surged 1.4 percent to 119.3 points in July, from 117.6 points in the previous month, showing the economy will enter the expansion phase.

Number of housing units approved, number of new companies registered and real money supply, M1, were the main drivers of the improvement, said the department.

On yearly basis, the leading index also rebounded to a positive growth of 0.4 percent in July, after having a negative growth for two consecutive months.

Meanwhile, the coincident index which reflects current economic performance, lifted 0.9 percent in the reference month, with capacity utilisation in manufacturing sector as the main contributor. It also registered 1.8 percent of annual growth in July.

The diffusion index for leading index improved further to 71.4 percent in the reference month, indicating the increases of five leading index components as against the previous six months.