KUALA LUMPUR (May 10): Malaysia's industrial production index rose 3.1 in March from a year earlier, supported by gains in the manufacturing and electricity generation sectors, government data showed on Thursday.

Output growth in March was below the 3.5 percent annual rise forecast in a Reuters poll, and up slightly from the 3 percent recorded in February.

The index measures factory output from the manufacturing, electricity and mining sectors. 

Manufacturing output rose 4.1 per cent from a year earlier in March, while the electricity generation sector grew 4.4 percent, according to data from the Statistics Department.

The mining sector, however, recorded zero growth in March, the data showed.

Malaysia's exports rebounded in March after a slowdown in the previous month, underpinned by higher shipment of manufactured goods.

A private manufacturing purchasing managers' index showed Malaysian factory activity shrank for the third consecutive month in April, as output and new orders declined.