KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to report that exports in October fell for the second month in a row, a Reuters poll showed, due to a higher base of comparison with last year and despite a recovery in commodity prices.
Economists surveyed by Reuters forecast exports fell 5.8% in October, nearly twice the pace as in September. Individual estimates ranged from a 4.8 % fall to a 10% decline.
Shipments have been pressured by weak oil prices and a slump in demand for manufactured goods.
Imports in October were forecast to dip 0.2% from a year earlier, little changed from a 0.1% fall in September.
Malaysia’s trade surplus is expected to widen slightly to RM8.1 billion, from RM7.6 billion in September.