Our Financial Columns offer analyses of subjects related to the Indonesian financial markets. Together, these columns - that also have high news value in the current state of the Indonesian economy - intend to provide a clear and detailed picture regarding the structure and performance of these markets.
With the Ramadan month just having started, it is important to take a look at food prices in Indonesia. The Ramadan-Idul Fitri period is typically a period when prices rise amid a significant increase in demand.
In the last week of December 2021, Perry Warjiyo, Governor of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia), sent a strong signal to markets that the benchmark interest rate of Indonesia (seven-day reverse repo rate) will not be raised before Q3-2022. This is much later than we initially expected.
Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index, or IHSG) grew 10.08 percent in full-year 2021, a good performance after a volatile and highly uncertain 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis emerged. At around 6,580 points on the first trading day of 2022, the index remains at near-record high territory (with the record being set recently, in mid-November 2021, at around 6,750 points).
Around a month ago, economists in the West started to become increasingly certain that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) is to announce a plan to taper its asset purchases. Not only that, they also expect the announcement to come soon.
