GDP unexpectedly expands in Q1, seen contracting this quarter

Malaysia's economy recorded growth in the first quarter (Q1), confounding expectations for a contraction even as the coronavirus pandemic took a toll on exports and domestic demand.

Gross domestic product grew 0.7 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, better than the 1.5 percent decline forecast in a Reuters poll, though still below the 3.6 percent growth rate in the fourth quarter.