PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade sales in November 2021 rose 7% year-on-year to a record high of RM118.1bil, surpassing the previous month’s level of RM116.2bil.

       The Statistics Department attributed the increase to the wholesale trade sub-sector, which recorded a growth of 6.8% to RM56.3bil last November.

       In its report on the wholesale and retail trade performance, the Statistics Department noted retail trade expanded 6.7% to RM47.8bil, while the motor vehicle segment grew 8.6% to RM13.9bil.

       Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin (pic) said the wholesale trade sub-sector growth of 6.8% was supported by other specialised wholesale, which grew 7.6% to RM22.1bil.

       This was followed by wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco with an 11.2% growth to RM11.4bil.

       “Similarly, wholesale of agricultural raw materials and live animals also increased 15.5% to RM4.7bil, driven by higher commodity prices. As compared to the previous month, sales of this sub-sector went up 1% in November 2021,” Mohd Uzir said.

       On the retail trade sub-sector, the increase of 6.7% was attributable to retail sales in non-specialised stores, which registered an increase of 9.9% or RM1.6bil to RM17.7bil.

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

       However, retail sales in specialised stores remained negative for the sixth consecutive month to record minus 1%. For monthly comparison, retail trade grew 3.4% with all groups in this sub-sector posting positive growth.

       “The 8.6% growth in the motor vehicle sub-sector was attributed to sales of motor vehicles which continued a double-digit growth of 11.8% to RM8.1bil. This was followed by sales, maintenance and repair of motorcycles with 9.4% to record RM1.2bil.”