Trade Balance Indonesia: Second Consecutive Monthly Surplus in March
It was a welcome surprise to see Indonesia recording a trade surplus of USD $540.2 million in March 2019, extending the monthly trade surplus to two (straight) months, which is something we had not seen in more than a year. However, when we take a look at the first quarter of 2019, then Indonesia’s overall trade balance still shows a deficit of USD $193.4 million.
And when we take a closer look at the latest export and import data, then there remains room for concern, specifically about the international environment. Indonesian oil and gas exports fell 18.3 percent year-on-year (y/y) to USD $1.09 billion in March 2019 (from USD $1.34 billion in March 2018), while Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports fell 9.2 percent (y/y) to USD $12.93 billion (from USD $14.25 billion in March 2018). Declining exports indicate that the international environment remains very challenging amid subdued global economic growth and the United States-China tariffs.
This article discusses the following:
• Update on Indonesia's March 2019 trade balance (exports and imports)
Read the full article in the April 2019 edition of our monthly research report. You can purchase the report by sending an email to info@indonesia-investments.com or a WhatsApp message to the following number: +62(0)8788.410.6944
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