KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — Business sentiment in Malaysia rebounds to a positive trajectory, registering a confidence indicator of 7.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2022 (Q1) from -0.3 per cent in the last quarter, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said that among all of the surveyed sectors, the services, industry and wholesale and retail trade sectors expect better business performance in the first quarter of 2022.
The business confidence for the services sector rebounds to a positive trajectory with 11.1 per cent in the reference quarter from -1.3 per cent recorded in the past quarter.
The industry sector depicts a better business condition with 12.2 per cent compared to 3.6 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“Similarly, the wholesale and retail trade sector anticipated brighter business outlook with 4.0 per cent in the reference quarter as against 3.3 per cent in the last quarter.
“On the contrary, the construction sector continues to be pessimistic on its business performance with the confidence indicator at -40.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2022,” he said in a statement today.
Business prospect for the first half of 2022 continues to improve with a net balance of 18.9 per cent as against 24.1 per cent posted for the period from October 2021 until March 2022.
Mohd Uzir said this positive outlook was mainly supported by the wholesale and retail trade, services and industry sectors which are optimistic towards their business performance.
The wholesale and retail trade foresees a favourable business outlook for the first half of 2022 with a net balance of 27.0 per cent compared to 35.1 per cent recorded previously.
Simultaneously, the services sector expects better business conditions with a net balance of 25.1 per cent from 24.3 per cent.
The industry sector also predicts positive business performance with a net balance of 17.7 per cent for January until June 2022 as against 24.5 per cent recorded previously.
“Conversely, the construction sector anticipates less favourable business condition for the next six months with a net balance of -30.8 per cent compared to -18.4 per cent recorded previously,” he added.
— Bernama
