Indonesia Posts 1st Trade Gap in Over 6 Years

2026-07-01 04:45 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

Indonesia unexpectedly posted a trade deficit of USD 1.61 billion in May 2026, shifting from a USD 4.30 billion surplus in the same month last year and missing expectations of a USD 1.2 billion surplus.

It was the first trade deficit since April 2020, as exports unexpectedly dropped while imports surged.

Imports soared 22.16% yoy, exceeding estimates of 19.5%, with oil and gas imports surging 70.78%, while non-oil and gas imports grew 14.89%.

Meanwhile, exports unexpectedly fell 5.73%, reversing sharply from a 21.98% surge in April and defying forecasts of a 6.4% rise, marking the steepest decline since November.

Oil and gas exports plunged 31.76%, largely due to a sharp decline in crude oil (-100.0%) and natural gas (-44.57%) exports, while non-oil and gas exports dropped 4.50%.

By destination, non-oil and gas exports fell mainly to key trading partners, including the US (-6.24%) and India (-24.21%).

For the 1st five months of 2026, the country posted a USD 4.03 billion trade surplus.



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Indonesia Posts 1st Trade Gap in Over 6 Years
Indonesia unexpectedly posted a trade deficit of USD 1.61 billion in May 2026, shifting from a USD 4.30 billion surplus in the same month last year and missing expectations of a USD 1.2 billion surplus. It was the first trade deficit since April 2020, as exports unexpectedly dropped while imports surged. Imports soared 22.16% yoy, exceeding estimates of 19.5%, with oil and gas imports surging 70.78%, while non-oil and gas imports grew 14.89%. Meanwhile, exports unexpectedly fell 5.73%, reversing sharply from a 21.98% surge in April and defying forecasts of a 6.4% rise, marking the steepest decline since November. Oil and gas exports plunged 31.76%, largely due to a sharp decline in crude oil (-100.0%) and natural gas (-44.57%) exports, while non-oil and gas exports dropped 4.50%. By destination, non-oil and gas exports fell mainly to key trading partners, including the US (-6.24%) and India (-24.21%). For the 1st five months of 2026, the country posted a USD 4.03 billion trade surplus.
2026-07-01
Indonesia Trade Surplus Smallest Since 2020
Indonesia’s trade surplus narrowed to USD 0.09 billion in April 2026 from USD 0.20 billion in the same month last year, falling well below expectations of USD 1.5 billion and marking the smallest trade surplus since Indonesia posted a deficit in April 2020. Imports jumped 22.49% yoy, accelerating sharply from 1.51% in March and far exceeding estimates of 3.25%, with oil and gas imports soaring 85.52%, while non-oil and gas imports rose 14.11%. Meanwhile, exports surged 21.98%, rebounding sharply from a 3.1% decline in March and far exceeding forecasts of 8.8%, marking the strongest growth since August 2022. Non-oil and gas exports surged 23.36%, while oil and gas exports fell 1.20%, due to a sharp decline in crude oil (-35.54%) and natural gas (-13.28%). By destination, non-oil and gas exports grew mainly to key trading partners: the US (38.72%), China (29.56%), Japan (10.03%), and ASEAN (13.26%). For the first four months of 2026, the country posted a USD 5.64 billion trade surplus.
2026-06-02
Indonesia Trade Surplus Narrows in March
Indonesia’s trade surplus declined to USD 3.32 billion in March 2026, from USD 4.33 billion in the same month last year, as exports fell while imports rose. Imports grew 1.51% yoy, slowing from 10.85% in February, with oil and gas imports rising 1.34% yoy to USD 3.17 billion, rebounding from a 30.36% plunge in February, while non-oil and gas imports rose 1.54% to USD 16.04 billion. Meanwhile, exports fell 3.1% yoy, marking the first decline since last November, amid disruptions linked to Middle East conflicts. Non-oil and gas exports dropped 2.52%, while oil and gas exports plunged 11.84%, due to sharp falls in crude oil (-34.36%) and oil products (-17.59%). By destination, non-oil and gas exports declined mainly to top trading partners: the US (-12.83%), India (-1.28%), and the EU (-17.63%), while exports to China surged 16.22%. For the first quarter of 2026, the country posted a USD 5.55 billion trade surplus, with exports and imports rising 0.34% and 10.05%, respectively.
2026-05-04