TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bank Indonesia (BI) recorded a current account deficit of US$2.2 billion in the second quarter of 2021, 0.8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). The deficit is higher than in the first quarter, when it was US$1.1 billion or 0.4 percent of the GDP.

"The current account deficit in quarter two remained low even though it has increased along with the continued recovery of the domestic economy," the central bank's director of communications Erwin Haryono said in a written statement, Friday, August 20.

Erwin said the development was influenced by an increasing surplus in the goods balance, supported by higher exports as a result of increasing demand from major trading partners and the climbing prices of world commodities amid growing imports that came with Indonesia's improving economy.

Meanwhile, the primary income account deficit rose due to an increase in investment yield payments in the form of dividends, in line with improving corporate performances in the reporting period.

"The service balance deficit also increased, partly caused by the widening deficit in transportation services due to an increase in payments for freight services for imports of goods," he said.

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Muhammad Hendartyo