Indonesia likely to record trade surplus
Indonesia is expected to post a trade surplus for a second straight month in September amid a slower pace of decline in exports and imports, a Reuters’ poll shows.
The median forecast of 13 economists in the poll was for a surplus of 100 million dollars in September, compared with the revised 112.38 million dollars surplus in August.
The data will be announced on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 0400 GMT.
Southeast Asia’s largest economy had a deficit of 1.78 billion dollars in the first eight months of this year, reflecting a plunge in both exports and imports amid depressed commodity prices and the U.S.-China trade war.
Economists in the poll predicted exports to have dropped 5.84 per cent year-on-year in September, compared with August’s 9.98 per cent decline.
September imports were seen shrinking 4.20 per cent annually. That compared with the 15.75 per cent fall a month earlier.
To boost exports, government officials said they have accelerated free trade negotiations with several countries and expanded incentives in special economic zones for export-oriented industries.
Measures to control imports were also put in place since last year, including limiting imports of cars and components and increasing taxes.