KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade recorded a 5.2 per cent rise in March 2024 with monthly sales of RM145.7 billion versus the same month a year ago, according to the Statistics Department Malaysia (DOSM).

In a statement today, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said this was driven by a 7.1 per cent rise, or RM4.2 billion, in the retail trade sub-sector to RM62.8 billion.

"Wholesale trade expanded by 4.0 per cent, or RM2.5 billion to RM64.1 billion, followed by motor vehicles with a growth of 3.2 per cent, or RM0.6 billion, to settle at RM18.8 billion," he said. 

March saw a 3.3 per cent rise against February 2024's RM141.1 billion, contributed by a 3.0 per cent rise in wholesale trade followed by vehicles (8.3 per cent) and retail sub-sectors (2.1 per cent).

The first three months of 2024 registered wholesale and retail trade of RM429.2 billion, the statement said.

On sub-sector performance, he said the 7.1 per cent year-on-year growth in March's retail was contributed by non-specialised store sales which grew by 8.4 per cent (RM1.9 billion) to RM24.2 billion.

"For a month-on-month comparison, retail sales rose 2.1 per cent, supported by non-specialised stores (2.6 per cent), specialised stores (1.8 per cent) and household goods (1.7 per cent)," he said. 

The 4.0 per cent rise in March 2024's wholesale trade was supported by specialised sales which rose by 4.5 per cent (RM1.0 billion) to RM24.1 billion, food, beverages and tobacco (5.4 per cent), household goods (3.5 per cent), agricultural raw materials and live animals (3.2 per cent), machinery, equipment and supplies (1.4 per cent), non-specialised wholesale trade (2.5 per cent) and wholesale on a fee or contract basis (2.0 per cent). 

In a series of slide presentations, DOSM said Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade volume index registered 3.7 per cent y-o-y growth to reach 152.8 points in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024) due to the motor vehicles sub-sector which grew 4.7 per cent to 134.1 points, followed by retail and wholesale which rose 3.8 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively.

The positive 4.7 per cent growth in the motor vehicle volume index was supported by parts and accessories sales (12.1 per cent), maintenance and repair (8.5 per cent) and sales (4.3 per cent).

- BERNAMA

https://www.nst.com.my/business/economy/2024/05/1048406/march-wholesale-retail-trade-52-pct -rm1457-bln-dosm