Better Sales, Exports To Improve Malaysia's Manufacturing Sector In 2H2017

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- Better local sales, exports and lower production costs are among the factors that is expected to improve Malaysia's manufacturing sector in the second half of this year (2H2017). Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) President Lim Wee Chai said the optimism comes from the projections that stabilising commodity prices and a global pick-up in manufacturing and trade would bolster export growth. In the first half of 2017 (1H2017), business activity for the manufacturing sector remained slow but steady as sales and production continued to hold while capacity utilisation and production cost edged lower, he said when presenting the findings of the FMM-MIER Business Condition Survey 1H2017 Index here Wednesday. The semi-annual survey was carried out between June 2, 2017 and July 14, 2017 with 396 respondents, nationwide. "In the 1H2017, export sales performed better than local sales, although both indexes remained the same. "In terms of local sales, 26 per cent reported selling more while 39 per cent sold less in 1H2017," he added. Going forward, he said business conditions were expected to improve, driven by lower manufacturing costs and expanding production. -- BERNAMA