Thursday, 22 Apr 2021 11:51 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 ― Malaysia’s Business Conditions Index (BCI) increased by 28.8 points year-on-year (y-o-y) to 111.8 points in the first quarter ended March 2021 (Q1 2021), indicating that manufacturers had regained their confidence since the outbreak of the Covid-19 in Q1 2020.
The Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) said the expansionary mode was also partly driven by the recovery in the domestic and global economy, the launch of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, and the provision of the economic stimulus packages to manufacturers.
On a quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) basis, MIER said the BCI slipped 3.6 points to 111.8 points, attributed to the decline in sales following the drop in domestic and external orders, as well as the falling production due to lower demand from local and foreign sources.
Business Conf Index
PETALING JAYA: The Business Conditions Index (BCI) posted a robust recovery of 25.3 points in the fourth quarter of 2020, settling in expansion territory at 115.4 points, compared with 86.3 points in the third quarter.
According to the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research’s (MIER) business conditions survey report, the improvement in business sentiment was attributed to the impressive increase in sales, significant increase in domestic orders and export orders, remarkable rise in industrial production volume, slight increase in capital investment and capacity utilisation as well as slight improvement in employment conditions.
“Pleasantly, the index for the current quarter is above the threshold level and has therefore proved to be a significant achievement in business sentiment. The continuous and remarkable improvement in BCI has shown that the government’s stimulus packages of Prihatin, Penjana, Kita Prihatin and the short-term economic recovery pla