KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Malaysia’s volume index of services grew 4.4 per cent year-on-year to record 146.7 points in the third quarter of 2023, driven by wholesale and retail trade, food and beverages and accommodation segment, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) today.
Wholesale and retail trade, food and beverages and accommodation segment grew 5.1 per cent to 148.7 points year-on-year, business services and finance segment added 0.2 per cent, information and communication and transportation and storage segment advanced 6.9 per centand other services segment rose by 8.7 per cent.
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said leading contributors for wholesale and retail trade, food and beverages and accommodation were wholesale and retail trade at 5.0 per cent, followed by food and beverages which accounted for 2.2 per cent and accommodation that accounted for 17.1 per cent.
“Concurrently, business services and finance segment improved 0.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2023 following the increase in professional, scientific and technical and administrative and support services added 9.1 per cent and real estate gained 8.0 per cent,” he added.
Mohd Uzir said the information and communication and transportation and storage segment increased by 6.9 per cent to record 160.3 points, contributed by the growth of information and communication contributed 3.5 per cent and transportation and storage contributed 12.6 per cent.
“At the same time, the other services segment recorded a volume index of 119.4 points with a growth of 8.7 per cent, attributed to the increase in private health by 11.3 per cent, private education by 4.1 per cent, and arts, entertainment and recreation and personal services and other activities by 11.1 per cent,” he added.
Mohd Uzir noted that the seasonally adjusted volume index registered a growth of 0.7 per cent compared with the second quarter of 2023, driven by the growth in the business services and finance segment by 2.8 per cent, information and communication and transportation and storage segment by 1.1 per cent , and other services segment 1.2 per cent.
“Conversely, the wholesale and retail trade, food and beverages and accommodation segment inched down 0.5 per cent,” he added.
— Bernama
