KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Reuters) – Malaysia’s economy grew 5.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, official advance estimates showed on Friday, its fastest pace in more than a year.
Growth in the October-to-December period was faster than the 5.2% expansion in the third quarter and the quickest since the second quarter of 2024, when the economy grew 5.9%.
The rise was driven by key sectors including services, manufacturing and construction, the statistics department said in a statement.
“Economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 was also supported by the continued strengthening of domestic demand,” Chief Statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said.
Malaysia’s full-year economic growth is expected to come in at 4.9% in 2025, the department said, exceeding the central bank’s forecast range of between 4% and 4.8% but just below the 5.1% expansion recorded in 2024.
Uncertainties around global trade and tariffs were expected to weigh on the economy with the government projecting growth of between 4% and 4.5% this year.
The United States has imposed a 19% tariff on most imports from Malaysia.
Final fourth-quarter and 2025 GDP figures are expected to be released on February 13.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by David Stanway)
