Kuala lumpur: Malaysia's Leading Index (LI) rose 1.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to 114.8 points in June 2026 from 113.3 points a year earlier, indicating that the country's near-term economic prospects remain positive. According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reported that the increase was driven mainly by a 35.1 per cent surge in real imports of other basic precious and non-ferrous metals, along with a 14.2 per cent increase in real imports of semiconductors. This trend aligns with the strengthening of Malaysia's trade activities, particularly the sustained demand for Electrical and Electronics (E and E) products, as highlighted in a statement released today. Despite the positive growth, DOSM noted that the increase was partly offset by declines in several components, especially the number of new companies registered. On a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, the LI edged up 0.02 per cent, primarily supported by a 0.8 per cent increase in real imports of other basic precio us and non-ferrous metals. However, DOSM mentioned that the LI's long-term smoothed trend remained below the 100-point mark. The Malaysian economy is expected to continue its growth trajectory, buoyed by resilient domestic demand and ongoing expansion in investment activities. The statement also pointed out that an increasingly dynamic global economic landscape and the recovery in international trade are anticipated to further bolster Malaysia's economic growth. Meanwhile, the Coincident Index (CI), which measures current economic performance, rose 2.6 per cent y-o-y to 131.6 points in June. DOSM attributed this increase to growth across all components, particularly real contributions to the Employees Provident Fund, which saw a 16.0 per cent rise, and the Volume Index of Retail Trade, which increased by 4.1 per cent. On a m-o-m basis, the CI saw a 0.3 per cent rise, supported by a 0.2 per cent increase in manufacturing capacity utilisation.