Malaysian manufacturing sales rose five percent in October from a year earlier to RM27.2 billion but dropped 1.1 percent from September this year, official data showed today.

The Statistics Department had said manufacturing sales in September grew 7.8 percent year-on-year and rose 0.7 percent from August.

In October, the manufacturing sector employed 985,060 people, up 0.7 percent year-on-year and up 0.01 percent from September.

The sector paid RM1.52 billion in salaries and wages in October, 4.8 percent higher year-on-year but 0.7 percent lower than September.

For the 10 months to October, manufacturing sales totalled RM255.6 billion, down 2.1 percent year-on-year, with a total of RM14.92 billion paid in salaries and wages.

Outlook bright

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said the outlook for Malaysia's export-led economy next year was bright despite the gloomy global forecast.

Last month, the central bank said the country's economy expanded 5.6 percent in the third quarter to September from a year earlier and was on track to grow four to five percent in 2002.