Indonesia posts US$230m trade deficit in Dec, US$7.51b surplus in 2015

[JAKARTA] Indonesia's trade balance moved back into surplus in 2015, following three years of deficits, the statistics bureau said on Friday.

Exports fell by 14.6 per cent to US$150.25 billion last year, but imports dropped even faster, by 19.9 per cent to US$142.74 billion.

Last year's trade surplus was US$7.51 billion, compared with a deficit of US$2.2 billion in 2014.

South-east Asia's largest economy has seen its commodity exports collapse, while weak domestic economic activity is weighing on imports.

In December, exports were US$11.89 billion, while imports were US$12.12 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of around US$230 million, the statistics bureau said.

A Reuters poll had expected a December surplus of around US$100 million.

REUTERS