Industrial output grows 4.7% in February 2017

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's index of industrial production (IPI) posted a higher growth of 4.7% in February 2017 as compared to the same month of the previous year.

According to the Statistics Department, the strong growth was attributed by higher indices across all sectors, namely manufacturing (6.5%), mining (0.4%) and electricity (1.5%).
The manufacturing sector output increased at a faster pace of 6.5% in February 2017 after an expansion of 4.6% recorded in January 2017.
The mining sector output grew nominally by 0.4% in February 2017 after an increase of 1.1% in January 2017, mainly due to a further decline in crude oil index by 4.7%. However, the natural gas index posted a better growth of 7%.
The electricity sector output grew marginally by 1.5% in February 2017 after registering a growth of 1.1% in January 2017.
The major sub-sectors that propelled the growth in February 2017 were electrical and electronics products (8.1%); food, beverages and tobacco (15.9%); and petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products (3.7%).