KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Malaysia's exports rose 1.6% from a year earlier in January, slower than expected, government data showed on Monday.
January's exports had been forecast to expand 7.4%, according to 10 economists surveyed by Reuters.
Imports in January grew 2.3% from a year earlier, data from the International Trade and Industry Ministry showed. Analysts were expecting an annual increase of 10.1%.
Malaysia recorded a trade surplus of 18.16 billion ringgit ($4.10 billion) in January, narrowing from a revised surplus figure of 28.14 billion ringgit the previous month.
($1 = 4.4300 ringgit)
Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor
Source: Reuters