Malaysia's economy grew 5.5% in the first nine months of 2026, and economists say it is on track to exceed the official full-year GDP growth range of 4.8% to 5.3%. The Department of Statistics Malaysia's advance estimate put third-quarter growth at 5.3%, slightly slower than the 6.0% in the previous quarter but still resilient. The Finance Ministry raised its 2026 growth forecast to 4.8–5.3% from 4.0–4.5% in Budget 2026, according to its Economic Outlook 2027 report. RHB Investment Bank kept its forecast at 5.4%, citing resilient domestic demand and E&E exports, while Kenanga maintained 5.3% and said the stronger data points to upside risk. Analysts flagged external risks including the Iran war, persistent oil shocks and supply-chain disruption.
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