KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Malaysia's economy grew 4.5 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, central bank data showed on Thursday, as a year of tepid growth ended on a stronger note helped by solid exports.
Growth was in line with a median forecast of 4.5 percent in a Reuters poll, and better than the 4.3 percent pace posted in the third quarter.
The full-year 2016 growth rate was reported as 4.2 percent, compared with 5.0 percent in 2015.
Fourth-quarter growth was supported by domestic demand, the central bank said.
Malaysia's central bank also said on Thursday that the current account surplus widened to 12.2 billion ringgit ($2.74 billion) in the fourth quarter, from 6 billion ringgit in the third quarter.
($1 = 4.4540 ringgit) (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Richard Borsuk)