KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia's economy expanded 2.9% in the April to June period from a year earlier, growing at its slowest pace in seven quarters due to weaker exports, the country's central bank announced Friday.

Malaysia's gross domestic product grew 5.6% in the January to March quarter, outperforming most of its Southeast Asian peers as the country recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. But the momentum has slowed in recent months.