KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s services producer price index (PPI) rose 2.1% in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1’26), compared with 1% recorded in Q4’25, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
In a statement today, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the increase was mainly driven by higher accommodation and food and beverage service activities, transportation, and education.
“The accommodation and F&B service activities index rose 5.7%, compared with 3.1% in the previous quarter, driven by higher restaurant and mobile food service activities index (5.2%) and beverage service activities (3.1%).
“The transportation index increased 3.8% from 2.2% in Q4 2025, mainly due to a 6.4% rise in the passenger air transport index,” he said.
On education, Mohd Uzir said the index increased 1.9% (Q4’25: 1.5%), supported by secondary education (1.7%) and higher education (1.5%).
“Other indices that registered increases were arts, entertainment and recreation (1.6%), health (1.5%), professional services (1%) and real estate activities (0.6%),” he said.
He added that the information and communication index recorded a marginal increase of 0.1%, rebounding from a 0.1% decline in Q4’25, mainly due to the computer programming, consultancy and related activities index (0.8%).
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the services PPI increased 1.4%, compared with a 0.3% jump in Q4’25.
Mohd Uzir said, “This increase was mainly contributed by the arts, entertainment and recreation index (6.3%), and accommodation and food and beverage service activities (3.5%).
“Other contributing sectors were transportation (1.6%), education (1.1%), health (1%) and professional services (0.8%), while the real estate activities and information and communication indices recorded marginal increases of 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively.”
