Malaysia’s consumer price inflation rose further in December to the highest level in nearly a year, data from the Department of Statistics showed on Tuesday.
The consumer price index posted an annual increase of 1.6 percent after rising 1.4 percent in November. Meanwhile, economists had expected inflation to remain stable at 1.4 percent.
Moreover, it was the highest inflation since January, when prices rose 1.7 percent.
Core inflation that excludes prices of fuel also rose to 2.3 percent from 2.2 percent in November.
Inflation based on housing and utilities accelerated to 0.9 percent from 0.7 percent, and education costs grew at a faster pace of 2.8 percent versus 2.8 percent a month ago. Meanwhile, the annual price growth in food and beverages remained stable at 1.5 percent.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices moved up 0.3 percent in December after remaining flat in November.
The annual inflation rate for the year 2025 was 1.4 percent, down from 1.8 percent in 2024, the agency said.
Separate official data showed that Malaysia’s foreign trade surplus rose marginally to MYR 19.28 billion in December from MYR 19.26 billion in the same month last year. In November, the surplus was MYR 6.1 billion. Both exports and imports grew by 10.4 percent and 12.0 percent, respectively, compared to last year.
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