Malaysia’s exports fell 0.8% year over year in February, according to government data on Monday. This decline came as a surprise given that a Reuters poll had estimated a 2.4% rise in exports, highlighting the discrepancy between expectations and reality.

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Malaysia’s imports, on the other hand, grew 8.4% year on year, surpassing Reuters poll estimates of a 7.8% increase, indicating a higher-than-expected influx of goods into the country.

The data also showed Malaysia’s trade surplus was at 10.9 billion ringgit ($2.31 billion) in February, down 44.4% from a year earlier, signaling changes in the country’s trade dynamics.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI index was 0.27% higher by afternoon trading, showcasing mixed market reactions to the export and import numbers.

ÔÇö Shreyashi Sanyal