Indonesia signs energy, grain deals with US: Minister

Indonesia’s state oil company and agricultural firms have signed deals to increase their purchases of US goods, the country’s chief economic minister told AFP on Wednesday, as Jakarta lays the groundwork to avoid the worst of President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Southeast Asia’s biggest economy has pledged to step up agriculture, energy and merchandise imports to close the trade gap with Washington and earlier this week struck a $1.25 billion deal to buy more US wheat. Trump has threatened Jakarta with a 32 percent tariff on top of a base 10 percent if it does not strike a new trade agreement by August 1.