Indonesia's Exports Slow Down Towards Year-End

Towards the end of the year, Indonesia's export performance appeared sluggish. Data from the Central Statistics Agency recorded that Indonesia's export value in November 2017 only increased slightly by 0.26 percent to US$15.15 billion from the previous month. Meanwhile, the import value in the same month rose by 6.42 percent to US$15.15 billion from the previous month. As a result, Indonesia's trade balance in November 2017 only reached US$127.2 million.

Compared to the same month of the previous year, Indonesia's export value in November 2017 still increased by 19.62 percent. Similarly, the import value also grew by 13.18 percent. Cumulatively, Indonesia's export value for the January-November 2017 period reached US$153.9 billion, a 17.16 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year. Meanwhile, the import value for the January-November 2017 period reached US$141.88 billion compared to the same period of the previous year.

Indonesia's largest non-oil and gas exports in November 2017 were to China, with a value of US$2.22 billion. Similarly, Indonesia's largest imports were also from China, with a value of US$31.78 billion. The largest import was machinery and mechanical appliances, valued at US$19.63 billion.