KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's retail industry recorded weaker-than-expected growth of 2.5 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2026 amid cautious consumer spending, the latest Malaysia Retail Industry report showed on Wednesday.
The growth was below the 4.8 percent forecast by members of the Malaysia Retailers Association (MRA) and Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) in June, according to the report.
"During this period, Malaysians made fewer shopping trips and often compared prices before making purchases," it said.
For the first six months of 2026, Malaysia's retail industry grew 3.1 percent year on year.
Despite the weaker second-quarter performance, a majority of MRA and MRCA members remain optimistic about the retail outlook for the next three months. They expect retail sales to grow by an average of 4.7 percent in the third quarter of 2026.
The associations maintained their forecast for Malaysia's retail industry to expand 3.8 percent in 2026. ■
