Indonesia returns to trade deficit in April

Indonesia began imposing large-scale social restrictions in April to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which as of Thursday had infected 16,006 people and killed 1,043 in the country.

JAKARTA: Indonesia's imports in April shrank at the fastest pace in nearly five years, underlining weak domestic demand and as its export markets were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, trade data showed on Friday.

Southeast Asia's largest economy booked a $344.7 million trade deficit in April, according to the data released by the country's statistics bureau, larger than the $200 million gap expected in a Reuters poll. The deficit was its first after two months of trade surpluses.