Malaysia's leading economic indicators index rose to 113.6 in April from 113.0 a year earlier, thus signaling an expected positive direction in the nation's economy in the four to six months ahead, reported the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on Tuesday.

Strong trade in tech gear, and new company formation, helped pushed the index upward in April, said the DOSM.

"Double-digit increases in the real imports of semiconductors, up 27.2% on year, and the number of new companies registered, up 24.1% on year, contributed to this improvement," advised the DOSM.

The expected sales value of manufactured goods also rose in April, another positive indicator.

However, the nation's M2 money supply, the Bursa Malaysia stock market, and number of new housing units approved all declined in April, somewhat cooling the Malaysian leading indicators index, reported the DOSM.

Malaysia's coincident economic indicators index rose to 126.7 in April, up from 125.4 a year, added the DOSM.

The rise in the current index growth was driven by rises in five out of six components, particularly manufacturing capacity utilization, said the agency.

The April economic indicators performance generally falls in line with other official government economic outlooks.

Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to post solid growth in 2025, according to a recent forecast from Bank Negara Malaysia.

The nation's GDP should expand by "4.5% to 5.5% in 2025," the central bank said, in a mid-May estimate.