The Business Activity Survey results (BAS) indicate that business activities increased in the first quarter of 2021.

"This is reflected in the weighted net balance (WNB) of 4.50%, an improvement from -3.90% in the fourth quarter of 2020," said BI Executive Director Erwin Haryono in an official statement, Wednesday (14/4).

According to Erwin, the increase was driven by several sectors' performance, including mining and quarrying, agriculture, plantation, animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries, and the processing industry.

Respondents stated that the improvement in the mining sector performance was driven by strong demand.

Meanwhile, the agricultural, plantation, livestock, forestry, and fisheries sectors are supported by the main harvest season for food crop commodities. The manufacturing sector is driven by increasing demand ahead of Ramadan and Eid.

In line with the development of business activities, used production capacity was 73.38% in the first quarter of 2021, increasing the achievement in the previous quarter by 71.96%.

The use of labor is also indicated to improve, although still in a contractionary phase, with the business world's financial conditions in normal condition.

In the second quarter of 2021, respondents estimated that business activities would strengthen with a WNB of 18.87%.

Based on the economic sector, the increase is predicted to occur in all economic sectors, especially the manufacturing sector, the trade sector, hotels and restaurants, and the agriculture, plantation, livestock, forestry, and fisheries sectors.