Malaysia’s Jan industrial production up 4.3%, above forecast

FILE PHOTO: A worker rides his bicycle inside the Lynas factory in Gebeng, 270 km (168 miles) east of Kuala Lumpur April 19, 2012. REUTERS/Samsul Said/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s industrial production grew faster than expected in January, rising 4.3% from a year earlier, government data showed on Tuesday.

The rate of expansion was the quickest since May last year, when factory output rose 4.7%.

January’s output had been forecast to expand 2%, according to 11 economists surveyed in a Reuters poll.

READ: Malaysia, Singapore agree to jointly develop special economic zone