JAKARTA (Reuters) – 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 showed on Friday.
The median forecast of 13 economists in the poll was for a surplus of $100 million in September, compared with the revised $112.38 million 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 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% year-on-year in September, compared with August’s 9.98% decline.
September imports were seen shrinking 4.20% annually. That compared with the 15.75% 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.
(Polling by Tabita Diela and Nilufar Rizki; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; editing by Uttaresh.V)
