Indonesian growth boosted by strong exports in third quarter

Indonesia's economy expanded again in the third quarter, official data showed Friday, thanks to a pick-up in exports but the rate slowed from the previous three months as the pandemic continued to take its toll.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy grew 3.51 per cent on-year in July-September, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) said, though that was well short of the previous three months' 7.07 per cent jump, which was the fastest pace in nearly two decades.

While mineral-rich Indonesia's overseas shipments rose sharply, the hotel and transport sectors were among the worst hit, said BPS head

Margo Yuwono, as national airline Garuda teeters on the edge of bankruptcy.

"Transportation was the most-affected sector because of declining mobility," he told a press briefing.

But Yuwono pointed to better times ahead as more people get vaccinated and comply with health restrictions.