Indonesia's Trade Surplus Narrowed in March

By Yi Wei Wong

Indonesia's trade surplus narrowed slightly in March, as oil and gas imports rose.

The country posted a trade surplus of $1.57 billion last month, compared with $2.00 billion in February. Analysts polled by The Wall Street Journal expected a $1.82 billion surplus.

The country recorded a trade surplus with the U.S., Philippines and India, statistics bureau head Suhariyanto said Thursday.

Exports jumped 30% from a year earlier to $18.35 billion, thanks to a sharp rise in non-oil and gas exports to China and India. Exports rose 20% from the previous month.

The country's imports rose 26% from a year ago to $16.79 billion in March on stronger imports of oil and gas. The country's imports rose 27% from a month earlier.

Southeast Asia's largest economy shrank 2.07% last year amid the pandemic, its first annual contraction since 1998. The number of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia has crossed 1.5 million, according to data from the country's Health Ministry.

Write to Yi Wei Wong at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-15-21 0052ET