Malaysia's April exports rise 9.1% y/y, below forecast

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Reuters) - Malaysia's exports rose 9.1% in April from a year earlier, government data showed on Monday, below expectations.

Exports had been expected to grow 14.1% in April from the same month last year, according to 13 economists surveyed by Reuters.

Imports in April grew 15.6% from a year earlier, the data from the trade ministry showed, less than the 17.8% increase forecast in the Reuters poll.

Malaysia recorded a trade surplus of 7.7 billion ringgit ($1.64 billion) in April, the data showed. ($1 = 4.6850 ringgit) (Reporting by Danial Azhar; Editing by John Mair)