2026.04.2723:19:24UTC+00Brunei Trade Surplus Hits 4-Month High

Brunei’s trade surplus widened to BND 507.9 million in February 2026, up from BND 454.3 million in the same month a year earlier. This marked the largest surplus since October, driven by a much steeper decline in imports than in exports.

Imports plunged 30.2% year-on-year to BND 975.8 million, the lowest level in nearly six years, largely reflecting a sharp contraction in mineral fuel purchases (-63.8%). Malaysia remained Brunei’s leading import partner, accounting for 24.7% of total imports, followed by Australia (14.9%), China (12.5%), Germany (9.7%), and the United States (-5.4%).

Exports fell at a slower rate, declining 14.9% to an eight-month low of BND 975.6 million, weighed down mainly by lower shipments of mineral fuels (-13.0%) and chemicals (-3.1%). Australia was Brunei’s largest export market, absorbing 25.1% of total shipments, ahead of China (21.2%), Vietnam (10.4%), Japan (9.0%), and Singapore (7.5%).

Over the first two months of 2026, the trade surplus inched up to BND 975.8 million from BND 971.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025, as imports contracted by 17.1% while exports posted a comparatively smaller decline of 9.9%.