Volume Index of Wholesale & Retail Trade Malaysia rose 4.2 per cent in fourth quarter 2023 to register 153.1 points
In fourth quarter of 2023, volume index of Wholesale & Retail Trade registered a growth of 4.2 per cent to reach 153.1 points as compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The positive quarterly growth was attributed to Motor Vehicles with 9.8 per cent, followed by Wholesale Trade and Retail Trade with 4.6 per cent and 2.9 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, for quarter-on-quarter comparison, volume index rose 0.8 per cent in this quarter.
For seasonally adjusted volume index, Wholesale & Retail Trade declined -2.6 per cent as against the third quarter of 2023, dragged down by all sub-sectors namely, Motor Vehicles (-8.2%), Wholesale Trade (-3.6%), and Retail Trade (-1.4%), respectively.
WHOLESALE TRADE
Volume index of Wholesale Trade sub-sector expanded 4.6 per cent to 138.6 points as compared to the same quarter in 2022. This increase was attributed to Wholesale of Agricultural Raw Materials & Live Animals with 8.4 per cent. It was followed by Other Specialised Wholesale (7.7%), Wholesale of Household Goods (3.3%), Non-specialized Wholesale Trade (2.7%), Wholesale of Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (2.4%), and Wholesale on a Fee or Contract Basis (2.2%). However, for quarterly growth, volume index of Wholesale Trade inched down -0.8 per cent.
As for seasonally adjusted volume index, Wholesale Trade decrease -3.6 per cent as compared to the previous quarter.
RETAIL TRADE
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Retail Trade recorded a positive growth of 2.9 per cent to 175.1 points as against the same quarter of the previous year. The growth was attributed to Retail Sales of Food, Beverages & Tobacco (8.4%), Retail Sales in Non-Specialised Stores (5.0%), Retail Sales of Automotive Fuel (4.4%), Retail Sales via Stalls & Markets (4.2%), and Retail Sales in Household Goods (3.6%). For quarter-on-quarter comparison, volume index of this sub-sector went up 1.5 per cent.
Within the same period, seasonally adjusted volume index of Retail Trade declined -1.4 per cent as compared to the previous quarter.
MOTOR VEHICLES
Volume index of Motor Vehicles registered a positive growth of 9.8 per cent year-on-year. This positive momentum was attributed to Sales of Motor Vehicle with 13.1 per cent, followed by Sales of Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories and Maintenance & Repair of Motor Vehicles with 12.1 per cent and 10.3 per cent, respectively. For performance of this sub-sector as against the previous quarter, it increased 3.7 per cent.
In terms of seasonally adjusted volume index, Motor Vehicles sub-sector shrank -8.2 per cent as compared to the previous quarter.
SERVICES STATISTICS DIVISION 