Malaysia's trade surplus in July rose 10.3 percent from June to RM9.09 billion (US$2.49 billion) due to strong exports of oil and electronic products, the government said today.

The July figure was also 52.5 percent higher from a year earlier and marked the 105th consecutive monthly surplus since November 1997, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) said in a statement.

July exports were 16 percent higher year-on-year at RM50.58 billion while imports rose 10.2 percent to RM41.49 billion.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the United States, the European Union, China, Japan and Hong Kong were Malaysia's major markets, taking 78.4 percent of its total exports in July.

Exports to the US, mainly comprised of electronic products, in July hit RM9.6 billion, accounting for 19 percent of total exports, it said.

Miti said that for the first seven months of 2006, exports grew 11.3 percent to RM330.46 billion, while imports expanded 12.2 percent to RM272.73 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of RM57.73 billion.