According to research conducted by Citibank, Indonesians increasingly regard property as the most lucrative investment instrument, instead of cash, deposit or saving accounts. On second and third place come cash and insurance. Citibank conducts an annual survey through which the bank assesses Indonesians' ability to understand the importance of financial planning and implementing good financial discipline. The survey involves various groups based on gender, age, residency and income levels.

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Indonesia Investments added a preliminary company profile of PT MNC Investama Tbk (BHIT) in the Indonesian Companies' section. MNC Investama, which was formerly known as Bhakti Investama until it changed its name in May 2013, is one of Indonesia's leading investment companies. Its businesses include media, financial services, energy & natural resources and portfolio investments. The company was founded by business tycoon Hary Tanoesoedibjo, one of the richest Indonesians and who still holds are large stake in the company.

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Bank Negara Indonesia is the fourth-largest bank of Indonesia in terms of assets, lending and third party funds. The bank provides financial services which are supported by its subsidiaries in shariah banking (Bank BNI Syariah), financing (BNI Multi Finance), the capital market (BNI Securities), and insurance (BNI Life Insurance). In 1996, BNI became the first state-owned bank to go public on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) when it sold 25 percent of its equity to the public.

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Finance Ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies convened its 20th annual meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, on 19 and 20 September 2013 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Muhamad Chatib Basri, Indonesia's Finance Minister. The meeting was attended by various delegates, including the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Managing Director of the World Bank Group, and the Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

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Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) is a state-controlled Indonesian bank that is market leader in the country's mortgage loans sector and is positioned inside the top ten of Indonesian banks in terms of assets and credit loans. The company's business activities focus on three sectors: mortgage loans and consumer banking, housing and commercial banking, and Syariah-banking (Islamic banking). Since the start of 2013, shares of Bank Tabungan Negara have fallen 23.65 percent.

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Indonesia Investments has updated the company profile of Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), one of the leading commercial banks in Indonesia and the country's second largest lender by assets. The bank's business focus mainly lies on banking services in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME’s). BRI was a state-owned company until 2003 when it listed 30 percent of its shares on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). It is currently one of the largest Indonesian companies in terms of market capitalization.

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In the General Meeting of Shareholders it was decided that Bank Mandiri, Indonesia’s largest financial institution by assets, will pay dividend of IDR 199.33 per share to its shareholders. Total dividend that will be paid amounts to IDR 4.65 trillion (US $479.4 million), which equals about 33 percent of the bank's net profit in 2012. Bank Mandiri, which is 60 percent owned by the Indonesian government, reported a 26.6 percent increase in net profit last year.

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Bank Central Asia (BBCA), Indonesia’s largest lender by market value and second largest bank by assets, posted net profit of IDR 11.72 trillion (US $1.2 billion) in 2012, meaning an 8.3 percent increase from last year's result. This growth is limited compared to net profit of its main competitors Bank Mandiri that posted 26.6 percent growth in 2012, and Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) that posted a 22.8 percent growth in net profit.

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An unit of Bank Mandiri - Bank Syariah Mandiri - is aiming for an initial public offering (IPO) in 2014. This step would make Bank Syariah Mandiri the first publicly listed Islamic lender of Indonesia. In Indonesia, 11 Islamic lenders are active but total assets of these lenders are small compared to the country's total banking assets. In recent years, however, Islamic financing has experienced substantial growth in Indonesia.

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Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) issued a new regulation that simplifies the opening of a foreign currency bank account by a foreign national (expat). A circular, S-246/S.01/2015 (dated 15 September 2015 and signed by OJK Chairman Muliaman D. Hadad), has been sent to all directors of Indonesian commercial banks that conduct business in foreign currencies. This new rule, part of the economic policy package that was released by the Indonesian government on 9 September, aims to boost foreign currency funds in Indonesia and support the rupiah.

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Soon it will be easier for foreigners (expats) to have a foreign currency bank account (non-rupiah) in Indonesia. Muliaman D. Hadad, Chairman of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), stated it is bound to issue a new regulation that allows for easier banking in foreign currencies in Indonesia. This regulation is made in an effort to raise the country’s foreign exchange reserves and support the ailing rupiah.

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Less than 24 hours after having raised the overnight deposit facility rate (known as Fasbi) by 25 bps to 4.25 percent, Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) also raised its benchmark interest rate (known as the BI rate) by 25 bps to 6.0 percent. Both these policy responses were conducted in order to support the IDR rupiah, which is one of the worst performing Asian currencies against the US dollar in 2013. Indonesia's central bank expects growing inflationary pressures as the Indonesian government intends to cut fuel subsidies this June.

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Astra International, Indonesia's largest listed company by market capitalization, presented its Q1-2013 financial results yesterday. The company, which represents the dominating force in Indonesia's automotive sector, posted a seven percent fall in net earnings (YoY) to IDR 4,310 trillion (USD $444.3 million) amid Indonesia's rising labour costs, weak commodity prices, increased competition in the country's car sector and effects of new minimum down-payment regulations in automotive Shariah-financing.

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Indonesian commercial banks have shown good performance in recent years as economic growth of over six percent fuels loan demand from the people and businesses. Domestic consumption and investment are the two main drivers of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Together, these two components account for almost 90 percent of GDP. As such, lenders are in a comfortable position.

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