M’sia’s wholesale, retail trade sales back to pre-pandemic level

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales in October 2021 returned to the highest level seen on record, rebounding 5.4 per cent year-on-year to RM116.4 billion, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (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 a positive growth of 4.4 per cent or RM2.4 billion to register RM55.8 billion in October 2021.

“Retail trade also expanded 5.1 per cent or RM2.3 billion to RM46.5 billion. Within the same period, motor vehicles bounced back 10.2 per cent or RM1.3 billion to RM14.2 billion, after a series of double-digit negative growths since June 2021,” he said in a statement today.

For month-on-month comparison, he said sales value of wholesale and retail trade increased 7.7 per cent, supported by the reopening of various economic sectors and interstate travels from Oct 11.

On sub-sectors’ performance, Mohd Uzir said the wholesale trade sub-sector growth of 4.4 per cent in October was supported by wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco which grew 10.6 per cent or RM1.1 billion to RM11.2 billion.

“This was followed by other specialised wholesale with 5.1 per cent to record RM22.1 billion,” he said.

Similarly, he said wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals increased 13.1 per cent to RM4.7 billion, driven by higher commodity prices.

“For month-on-month comparison, sales of this sub-sector went up 5.3 per cent,” he explained.

On the retail trade sub-sector, he said the increase of 5.1 per cent was attributed to retail sales in non-specialised stores which registered an increase of 8.2 per cent or RM1.3 billion to RM17.2 billion.

Meanwhile, other groups in this sub-sector also recorded positive growth namely retail sales of automotive fuels (17.8 per cent), retails sales of food, beverages and tobacco (8.7 per cent), retail sales of household goods (3.8 per cent), retail sales not in stores, stalls or market (28.6 per cent), retail sales of cultural and recreation goods (4.8 per cent), retail sales of information and communication equipment (0.6 per cent), and retail sales in stalls and market (11.4 per cent).

However, he noted that retail sales in specialised stores remained negative for a fifth consecutive month at -3.9 per cent.

“For monthly comparison, retail trade went up 4.8 per cent with all groups in this sub-sector posting positive growth,” he said.

Mohd Uzir also said the 10.2 per cent growth in the motor vehicles sub-sector for the month was attributed to sales of motor vehicles which rebounded 25.5 per cent or RM1.8 billion to RM9.1 billion.

In terms of volume index, wholesale and retail trade registered a year-on-year growth of 1.3 per cent.

He added that the expansion was attributed to motor vehicles which rose 7.0 per cent, followed by retail trade with 2.2 per cent.

“However, wholesale trade recorded negative growth of -1.2 per cent. Meanwhile, seasonally adjusted volume index went up 5.9 per cent month-on-month,” he said. – Bernama