Brunei Trade Surplus Hits 4-Month High

Brunei’s trade surplus widened to BND 597.0 million in March 2026 from BND 491.7 million in the same month a year earlier, marking the largest amount since last October. Exports surged 32.7% yoy to BND 1.66 billion, the highest level in over three years, boosted by strong gains in mineral fuels (34.1%) and chemicals (30.5%). Australia remained the largest export destination, accounting for 31.2% of total shipments, followed by China (14.2%), Singapore (14.2%), Japan (6.4%), and India (6.2%). Meanwhile, imports climbed 40.0% to BND 1.06 billion, mainly driven by a sharp rise in mineral fuel purchases (57.4%). Singapore was the top source of imports, supplying 52.4% of total inbound shipments, ahead of Australia (14.3%), Malaysia (11.2%), Vietnam (4.3%), China (3.2%), and the U.S. (1.8%). For the first quarter of 2026, trade surplus edged higher to BND 1.57 billion from BND 1.46 billion in the same period last year, as exports increased 4.9% while imports rose at a slower rate of 3.1%.

Brunei’s trade surplus increased to BND 507.9 million in February 2026 from BND 454.3 million in the same month a year earlier. It was the largest trade surplus since October, as imports fell far more sharply than exports. Purchases plunged 30.2% yoy to a near 6-year low of BND 975.8 million, largely due to a steep drop in mineral fuel imports (-63.8%). Malaysia remained the top supplier (24.7% of total imports), followed by Australia (14.9%), China (12.5%), Germany (9.7%), and the U.S. (-5.4%). Meanwhile, exports fell at a slower pace of 14.9% to an 8-month low of BND 975.6 million, weighed by falls in mineral fuels (-13.0%) and chemicals (-3.1%). Australia was the largest export destination, taking 25.1% of shipments, ahead of China (21.2%), Vietnam (10.4%), Japan (9.0%), and Singapore (7.5%). In the first two months of the year, the trade surplus edged up to BND 975.8 million from BND 971.2 million in the same period 2025, as imports shrank 17.1% while exports fell a milder 9.9%.

Brunei’s trade surplus decreased to BND 467.9 million in January 2026 from BND 516.9 million a year earlier, as softer external demand weighed on exports. Outbound shipments declined 6.8% year-on-year to BND 1.15 billion, mainly due to falls in mineral fuels (-7.8%) and chemicals (-6.3%). Australia remained the largest export destination (30.2% of total sales), followed by China (22.8%), Japan (12.2%), Singapore (10.5%), and Thailand (9.4%). Meanwhile, imports dropped 4.8% to BND 678.1 million, largely dragged by lower demand for mineral fuels (-13.3%). Singapore was the top supplier (33.4%), ahead of the United Arab Emirates (16.3%), Malaysia (13.9%), Australia (9.9%), China (5.4%), and Vietnam (4.4%). In 2025, the trade surplus eased to BND 5.06 billion from BND 5.28 billion in 2024, as exports contracted by 10.4% while imports declined by 13.8%, indicating broadly weaker trade flows.