Indonesia's recession eases as govt boosts spending, exports recover

People wait for a bus to take them to their home villages at the Kalideres bus terminal in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, May 5, 2021. The mass exodus out of major cities in the world's most populous Muslim country is underway despite travel restrictions imposed by the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus outbreak, as people are heading home to their villages to celebrate Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on May 13. - AP

* Consumption remains sluggish * Govt spending grew 2.96% on bigger social spending

JAKARTA, May 6 (Reuters): Indonesia's economy shrank for the fourth straight quarter in January-March but at a much more modest pace as the government boosted spending and higher commodity prices helped exports, statistics bureau data has showed.