KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 ― Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales in November 2021 recorded the highest level seen on record, increasing by 7.0 per cent year-on-year to RM118.1 billion, breaching the previous month’s level of RM116.2 billion, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was attributed to the wholesale trade sub-sector, which recorded a positive growth of 6.8 per cent or RM3.6 billion to register RM56.3 billion in November 2021.

“Retail trade also expanded 6.7 per cent or RM3.0 billion to RM47.8 billion. Within the same period, motor vehicles went up 8.6 per cent or RM1.1 billion to RM13.9 billion,” he said in a report on the wholesale and retail trade performance released today.

For month-on-month comparison, he said sales value of wholesale and retail trade increased 1.6 per cent, supported by the reopening of various economic sectors and interstate travel from Oct 11.

On the sub-sectors’ performance, Mohd Uzir said the wholesale trade sub-sector growth of 6.8 per cent in November 2021 was supported by other specialised wholesale, which grew 7.6 per cent or RM1.6 billion to RM22.1 billion.

“This was followed by wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco with 11.2 per cent to record RM11.4 billion,” he said.

Similarly, he said wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals also increased 15.5 per cent to RM4.7 billion, driven by higher commodity prices.

“For month-on-month comparison, sales of this sub-sector went up 1.0 per cent,” he explained.

On the retail trade sub-sector, he said the increase of 6.7 per cent was attributed to retail sales in non-specialised stores, which registered an increase of 9.9 per cent or RM1.6 billion to RM17.7 billion.

Meanwhile, other groups in this sub-sector also recorded positive growth, namely retail sales of automotive fuels (18.2 per cent), retail sales of household goods (6.4 per cent), retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco (9.1 per cent), retail sales not in stores, stalls or the market (28.4 per cent), retail sales of cultural and recreation goods (4.5 per cent), retail sales of information and communications equipment (0.8 per cent), and retail sales in stalls and the market (11.6 per cent).

However, he also said that retail sales in specialised stores remained negative for a sixth consecutive month at -1.0 per cent.

“For monthly comparison, retail trade grew 3.4 per cent with all groups in this sub-sector posting positive growth,” he said.

In addition, Mohd Uzir said the 8.6 per cent growth in the motor vehicles sub-sector for the month was attributed to sales of motor vehicles, which continued its double-digit growth of 11.8 per cent or RM0.9 billion to RM8.1 billion.

This was followed by sales, maintenance and repair of motorcycles with 9.4 per cent to record RM1.2 billion.

Similarly, sales of motor vehicles parts and accessories and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles rebounded to record positive growths of 2.9 per cent and 4.0 per cent, respectively.

“However, on a monthly basis, sales of this sub-sector decreased -1.9 per cent, dragged down by sales of motor vehicles which registered -10.4 per cent,” he said.

Mohd Uzir said the index of retail sales over the internet recorded 21.0 per cent growth year-on-year (October 2021: 20.7 per cent), while for seasonally adjusted value, the index rose 5.4 per cent from the previous month.

In terms of volume index, wholesale and retail trade registered a year-on-year growth of 2.9 per cent. 

He added that the expansion was attributed to motor vehicles, which rose 5.2 per cent, followed by retail trade at 3.3 per cent.

Similarly, wholesale trade also recorded a positive growth of 1.4 per cent, while the seasonally adjusted volume index went up 1.6 per cent month-on-month. ― Bernama