Indonesia recorded an import rise of 7.17% year-on-year in September, with imports reaching USD 20.34 billion, surpassing economists’ expectations of around a 1% increase. At the same time, exports grew by 11.41% to USD 24.68 billion, also outperforming the forecast of 7.72%. The trade surplus for the month stood at US$4.34 billion, falling short of the USD 4.79 billion that analysts had projected.
The stronger-than-expected import growth suggests robust domestic demand or higher inputs for production in Indonesia, which could point to an economy gaining momentum in consumption or investment. On the export front, the double-digit increase indicates that Indonesia remains competitive globally, possibly benefiting from improving global trade conditions or favorable commodity trends. However, despite the positive figures for both imports and exports, the narrower-than-expected trade surplus may prompt closer monitoring of underlying trade and cost dynamics, such as rising input costs or shifting commodity prices.
