Indonesia posts unexpectedly large US$4.4 billion trade surplus, boosted by strong exports and weak imports

[JAKARTA] Indonesia recorded an unexpectedly large trade surplus of US$4.4 billion in November, fuelled by a sharp rise in exports and weaker-than-expected imports, according to the country’s statistics bureau.

The figure, revealed on Monday (Dec 16), significantly outpaced Reuters’ analyst forecast of a US$2.2 billion surplus, and marked the country’s largest trade surplus since March.

November’s export figures were particularly striking, climbing 9.1 per cent year on year to US$24 billion, far more than the expected 4.9 per cent growth.