Indonesia posts trade deficit for 3rd month

JAKARTA, Mar 15 (Reuters): Indonesia posted a trade deficit for the third straight month in February as imports continued to surge faster than exports, the statistics bureau said on Thursday.

Southeast Asia's largest economy had a deficit of $110 million in February, not far off the $130 million deficit forecast in a Reuters poll.

Imports rose 25.18 per cent in February from a year earlier.

Over 70 per cent of incoming shipments were raw materials. Meanwhile, exports in February grew 11.76 per cent from last year.

Analysts polled had expected a 25.70 per cent year-on-year growth in imports and 12.45 per cent in exports.