Brunei’s economy expanded 0.3% yoy in Q1 2026, slowing sharply from an upwardly revised 4.8% growth in Q4, which had marked the strongest rise in five quarters.
Industrial activity lost momentum (2.8% vs 8.3% in Q4), with slower output for oil and gas, and LNG and other petroleum and chemicals.
Meantime, the services sector contracted further (-3.1% vs -0.4%), weighed by weaker output in water and air transport, other transport services, finance, and business services.
The agriculture sector also slipped (-0.6% vs 5.2%), reflecting a steep fall in vegetables, fruits, and other crops, alongside a sharp slowdown in fisheries.
On the expenditure side, government spending fell more sharply (-12.2% vs -1.8%), while private consumption picked up (9.1% vs 3.7%) and fixed investment rebounded (6.3% vs -1.4%).
Net exports lifted growth as exports accelerated (9.5% vs. 7.1%) while imports fell at a slower pace (-1.3% vs. -3.1%).
Quarterly, the economy shrank 9.0%, reversing a 10.7% growth in Q4.