Business Columns

The Business Columns section of Indonesia Investments provides in-depth columns that exhibit an analysis regarding subjects that are both important for understanding the Indonesian business climate and have high news value in the current state of Indonesia's economy. As a whole these columns should provide the reader a thorough and detailed picture of multiple Indonesian business sectors and be a source of ideas or inspiration to invest - or not to invest - in specific sectors of the Indonesian economy.

  • Indonesian Coal Miner Bumi Resources Sees Better Times Ahead

    After years of concern amid scandals, debt woes and low coal prices, there seems light at the end of the tunnel for Indonesia's largest coal producer Bumi Resources, a listed miner controlled by the Bakrie Group. Although its audited earnings (covering full-year 2016) will be released next month, a source within Bumi Resources said the company will post its first profit since 2011. The miner's net income is expected to reach USD $101.6 million, improving significantly from a net loss of USD $2 billion in the preceding year.

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  • Food & Beverage Industry Indonesia: Gov't Policies Undermine Profitability

    Turnover in Indonesia's food and beverage industry is expected to grow 8.5 percent year-on-year (y/y) to IDR 1,400 trillion (approx. USD $105.2 billion) in 2017, while direct investment in this industry is expected to remain flat at around IDR 63 trillion (approx. USD $4.7 billion) with especially investors from Japan and South Korea eager to invest. Considering Indonesia's huge population (numbering more than 255 million) and their recovering purchasing power (after the five-year economic slowdown ended in 2016, while commodity prices have improved) the food and beverage industry is an attractive one for investors.

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  • Rising Fuel Demand, Indonesia Needs More Oil Refining Capacity

    Fuel demand in Indonesia already reached 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd). However, oil refining capacity only stands around 1.1 million bpd, implying that 43 percent of fuel consumption in Indonesia needs to be imported from abroad. Oil refining capacity today is roughly the same as it was 15 years ago, meaning that there has been limited progress in development of Indonesia's downstream oil industry. Without adding refining capacity, Indonesia is on track to become the world's largest fuel importer within the next decade.

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  • Indonesian Financial Institutions in Focus: Bank Tabungan Negara

    Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), market leader in Indonesia's mortgage loans sector, is expected to maintain steadily growing earnings supported by House Ownership Credit growth (in Indonesian: Kredit Pemilikan Rumah, abbreviated KPR) and stable financing costs. In fact, RHB Securities and Bahana Securities believe credit growth of BTN will outperform average credit growth in Indonesia's banking sector in full-year 2017. Both securities firm set their credit growth target for BTN at 18 percent (y/y), boosted by subsidized KPR.

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The views expressed in these business columns are the views of the authors or the interviewed persons only and therefore do not necessarily reflect the views of Indonesia Investments. The authors are free to ventilate their opinions about the Indonesian business climate. Facts presented in these columns are the result of the author's own research or indicated sources, read disclaimer.

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