Indonesia Posts USD 293.6 Million Trade Surplus in August 2016

Jakarta, 14 Dzulhijjah 1437/16 September 2016 (MINA) – Although at a slower pace, Indonesia’s exports and imports continued to contract in August 2016, Indonesia-investments.com reported.

In August Indonesia exported USD 12.63 billion worth of goods, down 0.75 percent on a year-on-year basis (much better than analysts had forecast).

Meanwhile, Indonesia imported USD 12.34 billion worth of goods in August, down 0.49 percent (y/y). As such, the trade balance in August showed a USD 293.6 million surplus.

However, Indonesia’s Statistics Agency (BPS) added that it was the 23rd month of declining imports and exports for Indonesia.

Indonesia’s USD 293.6 million trade surplus in August 2016 was primarily supported by the country’s non-oil and gas trade surplus.

However, Bank Indonesia, the central bank, informed that the overall trade surplus of Indonesia in August declined compared to the (revised) USD 510 million trade surplus one month earlier. This was caused by narrowing non-oil and gas trade surplus, while the oil and gas trade deficit widened.

In recent years the trade performance of Indonesia has been weakening due to low global economic growth and demand.

In particular the economic slowdown of China, the world’s second-largest economy and one of the biggest trading partners of Indonesia, has caused damage as commodity prices have fallen significantly.

Indonesia exports a fair amount of coal, crude palm oil and gas to China. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)