KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 4): Malaysia's annual export growth in July likely slowed to 6.2 percent, a Reuters poll showed as electronic exports may have continued to lead growth but palm oil exports slowed.
If the poll is correct it would be a third consecutive month of slowing export growth. In June, exports slowed to 7.9 percent after a robust growth of 16.3 percent in May and 18.9 percent in April.
Imports are expected to rise 5.0 percent.
The median forecast of 11 economists polled showed that the projected trade surplus was 4.0 billion ringgit ($1.26 billion), slightly larger than June's surplus of 3.97 billion.
Forecasts for Malaysia's July exports, imports (percentage change from a year ago) and trade balance (billion ringgit):
FORECASTS Exports Imports Trade balance
(pct y/y) (pct y/y) (bln ringgit)
Median 6.2 5.0 4.0
High 11.7 12.4 4.3
Low 3.7 2.0 2.5
June 7.9 9.2 3.97
May 16.3 11.9 5.72
No. of respondents 11 11 11
Affin 8.0 6.3 4.0
AmBank 6.2 5.4 3.5
BA Merrill Lynch 7.2 8.2 2.5
Credit Suisse 6.5 6.0 3.3
DBS 4.3 1.9 4.3
HSBC 11.8 12.4 2.8
ING 5.0 3.0 4.16
Kenanga 5.6 3.6 4.2
Maybank 3.7 2.0 4.0
OCBC 5.0 5.0 3.0
UOB 6.6 5.0 4.0
(1 US dollar = 3.1760 Malaysian ringgit)