• Tax & Transparency: No More Banking Data Secrecy in Indonesia?

    After decades of the "banking information secrecy" culture in Indonesia, local banks now seem more willing to share clients' financial information to tax authorities (both local and foreign authorities). Earlier, Indonesian banks were reluctant to disclose this information as such transparency could mean banks would lose valuable clients. These "big clients" supply over half of banks' deposits. However, the situation has now changed due to the government's tax amnesty program.

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  • Football News: Michael Essien Joins Indonesia's Persib Bandung

    Former Chelsea star Michael Essien, 34, signed a one-year contract to join Persib FC, one of the top football teams in Indonesia. Persib FC, which is based in Bandung (West Java), won the League One (formerly known as the Indonesian Super League) in 2014. Ghanaian-born Essien, a "box-to-box" midfielder, who was without a club after leaving Greece's Panathinaikos in 2016, was presented at the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium in Bandung on Tuesday (14/03).

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  • Indonesian Stocks & Rupiah Ahead of Looming Fed Rate Hike

    Ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting (14-15 March) investor sentiment remains subdued with thin trade in Asia's stock markets. Most, if not all, market participants expect the Fed to raise its benchmark Fed Funds Rate by 25 basis points supported by recently strong US jobs reports. The main questions now are whether the US rate hike is already priced in (in markets) or will we see big (yet temporary) capital outflows from emerging markets, including Indonesia? And secondly, will the Fed raise its interest rate environment faster than expected in the remainder of 2017?

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  • US Vice President Mike Pence to Visit Indonesia in April 2017

    As part of his Asia-Pacific tour, US Vice President Mike Pence plans to visit Indonesia in April 2017. Any dates have bot been finalized yet and therefore the tour has not been announced officially yet. However, an official within the administration of US President Donald Trump said Pence is making the Asia-Pacific tour next month in order safeguard and enhance good relations with several Asia-Pacific nations.

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