Malaysia's industrial output index in March falls 4.9 pc

Malaysia's Industrial Production Index (IPI) decreased 4.9 per cent year on year in March, as all sectors registered negative growths, official data showed Tuesday.

According to Malaysian Statistics Department, the manufacturing index dropped by 4.2 per cent; mining index fell 6.5 per cent; electricity index decreased by 7.0 per cent.

The decline of manufacturing sector output was dragged by major sub-sectors in electrical and electronics products; non-metallic mineral products; basic metal and fabricated metal products; and food, beverages and tobacco, reports Xinhua.

The fall in mining sector output was due to the decrease in natural gas index as well as crude oil and condensate index.

However, for the first quarter, the IPI recorded a growth of 0.4 per cent as compared to the same period of the previous year, contributed by the marginal increase of manufacturing index.