Although at a slower pace, Indonesia's exports and imports continued to contract in August 2016. In August Indonesia exported USD $12.63 billion worth of goods down 0.75 percent on a year-on-year basis (much better than analysts had forecast). Meanwhile, Indonesia imported USD $12.34 billion worth of goods in August, down 0.49 percent (y/y). As such, the trade balance in August showed a USD $293.6 million surplus. However, Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) added that it was the 23rd month of declining imports and exports for Indonesia.

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo witnessed the inauguration of the first newly built container terminal, part of the New Priok Port, an extension of Indonesia's busiest port (Tanjung Priok) in North Jakarta, on Tuesday (13/09). At this occasion Widodo urged the developers of the New Priok Port to speed up construction of the port so that phase one can be completed by 2019. The New Priok Port, consisting of three phases, will relieve the overloaded systems at the existing Tanjung Priok port and bring Indonesia's port facilities on par with other world-class ports.

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Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Monday (15/08) that the trade balance of Indonesia showed a surplus of USD $598 million in July 2016, down from a USD $879.2 million surplus in the preceding month and considerably below analyst forecasts. Although Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, booked a USD $4.2 billion trade surplus in the first seven months of 2016, concern about Indonesia's weakening exports and imports persist. Faster falling imports (compared to exports) explains the trade surplus.

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Indonesia's Industry Ministry is eager to intensify cooperation with Switzerland. On Tuesday (02/08) Indonesian Industry Minister Airlangga Hartanto stated that the European nation selected Indonesia as a key priority country in terms of economic cooperation and partnerships in the industry sector. Indonesia is ranked fourth in terms of priority investment destinations in Asia for Switzerland's foreign direct investment (FDI). Both nations have had positive diplomatic relations that date back to 1952.

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Indonesia's latest trade data beat forecasts by quite a distance. According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Indonesia's trade balance recorded a monthly surplus of USD $900.2 million in June 2016. Previously, median forecasts expected a USD $300 million surplus. Meanwhile, the nation's trade surplus more than doubled in June from the monthly surplus in the preceding month, supported by strong exports of electronics, auto parts, finished garments, and rubber products. Despite this positive result, there remain some concerns.

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Today (15/06) Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced that Indonesia's May trade balance showed a surplus of USD $375.6 million, below analyst estimates (at USD $680 million) and below the (revised) USD $660 million trade surplus recorded in the preceding month. Although having a trade surplus is good, there remain concerns about Indonesia's falling exports and imports as these declines are signs of weakening domestic and global economic activity.

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The central government of Indonesia has officially declared the Patimban Seaport project in Subang (West Java) a national strategic project through Presidential Decree No. 47/2016, signed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. This declaration implies that the project is regarded a priority project that benefits the economy and society as a whole. The priority status further means that all ministers, government agencies and governors need to support the development of the project.

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State-owned Pelindo II, the company that is involved in port services across ten Indonesian provinces, plans to conduct another test related to the New Priok Port on 2 July 2016. Full commercial operations are scheduled to start on 15 July 2016. The New Priok Port is one of the large government infrastructure projects involving the construction of a new port (an extension of the Tanjung Priok) in North Jakarta in order to tackle Indonesia's severe logistics trouble, while bringing Indonesia's port facilities on par with other world-class ports such as Singapore.

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Last year Indonesian President Joko Widodo emphasized the importance for Indonesia to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as this free trade deal - one of the world's most ambitious trade deals, covering an area that contributes about 40 percent to total global trade - will make the Indonesian economy more efficient and its exports more competitive (while also expanding the nation's export base). However, there also exist concerns about a possible participation of Indonesia in this free trade deal. One of the concerns involves Indonesia's automotive industry.

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Based on the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Indonesia booked a USD $670 million trade surplus in April 2016, primarily caused by a bigger-than-expected decline in imports. Most analysts expected to see a monthly trade surplus around USD $200 million last month. In the first four months of 2016, Indonesia's trade balance has now accumulated into a USD $2.3 billion trade surplus. Although the surplus is positive, there remain deep concerns about the persistently falling import and export figures.

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Last month we warned that Indonesia’s trade performance could easily continue to contract in February 2023, thereby continuing the trend we have seen since August 2022. Moreover, February is a short month, and therefore it typically has trouble to compete with other months in terms of trade activity.

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On 06 February 2023, Indonesia’s Statistical Agency (Badan Pusat Statistik, or BPS) released the latest official gross domestic product (GDP) data of Indonesia. The data were in line with expectations.

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In the second half of September 2022 the Indonesian rupiah experienced some steep depreciating pressures, nearly touching IDR 15,300 per US dollar. It prompted Bank Indonesia to step and intervene in markets to limit the currency’s decline; a step that typically leads to a drop in the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

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Both Indonesia’s export and import performance was quite amazing in March 2022. While we expected imports to rebound ahead of the start of the Ramadan month (on 1 April 2022), a month that typically gives rise to a big increase in consumption, we did underestimate Indonesia’s export performance in last month’s forecast.

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In January 2022 Indonesian Minister for Coordinating Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the Indonesian government aims to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement in the first quarter of 2022. Just like the Philippines and Myanmar, Indonesia is still to ratify the RCEP even though this agreement already took effect per 1 January 2022.

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According to the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, or BPS), Indonesia posted a USD $4.37 billion trade surplus in September 2021. It is a slightly lower surplus compared to the previous month (when Indonesia posted its highest ever monthly trade surplus), but remains one of the highest surpluses in the history of Indonesia.

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Indonesia recorded another big trade surplus in July 2020. Based on the latest data from Indonesia’s Statistical Agency (BPS), the country's trade surplus reached USD $3.26 billion in July 2020, a huge improvement from the USD $280.1 million deficit it recorded in the same month one year earlier.

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For the second consecutive month Indonesia recorded a big trade surplus. According to the latest data from Indonesia’s Statistical Agency (BPS), the country posted a USD $1.27 billion trade surplus in June 2020.

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On 5 May 2020 Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS), a non-departmental government agency, released the first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data of Indonesia for the year 2020. These data were highly anticipated as policymakers, analysts, and stakeholders are particularly interested in finding out to what extent damage has been done to the Indonesian economy by the self-imposed restrictions.

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In line with estimates, Indonesia’s trade balance showed another deficit in January 2020. Based on the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, or BPS), a USD $864.2 million trade deficit was recorded in the first month of the year.

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