JAKARTA, Jan 15 Reuters Indonesia reported a 2.24 billion trade surplus in December, below expectation, amid a jump in imports and a smallerthanexpected increase in exports, official data showed on Wednesday.

A Reuters poll had expected a surplus of 3.79 billion. November39;s surplus was revised down to 4.37 billion.

The data comes as Indonesia39;s central bank is meeting to review monetary policy, with the decision to be announced later on Wednesday.

A separate Reuters poll shows analysts expect interest rates to be held steady amid financial market volatility that has weakened the rupiah .

Exports from the resourcerich country rose 4.78 in December from a year earlier to 23.46 billion, compared with a 7.38 increase expected in the trade poll.

Exports of palm oil products jumped 30 on a yearly basis to 1.89 billion last month, but coal exports fell 10.4 to 2.69 billion, the data showed.

Meanwhile, imports climbed 11.07 in December to 21.22 billion, versus the poll39;s forecast of a 4.84 rise.

For all of 2024, shipments from Indonesia reached 264.7 billion, up 2.29 from the previous year, while imports were worth 233.66 billion, a rise of 5.31 from 2023.

Last year39;s trade surplus was 31.04 billion, down from 36.89 billion in 2023, marking the lowest surplus in four years.

Indonesia39;s widest non oil and gas trade surplus was with the United States, amounting to 16.84 billion. It ran a 11.41 billion trade deficit with China, excluding oil and gas trade….