• Indonesia Posts Trade Deficit in December, Surplus in 2015

    Indonesia posted a trade deficit of USD $230 million in December 2015 as imports (USD $12.12 billion) exceeded exports (USD $11.89 billion), the second monthly trade deficit in 2015. Overall, the country's trade balance shows a surplus of USD $7.51 billion in 2015, significantly improving from the USD $2.2 billion trade deficit in the preceding year. But despite posting a good trade surplus in full-year 2015, a closer look at the data still reveals weak global and domestic conditions.

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  • Terrorist Attack Jakarta: Explosions & Gunfire in Central Jakarta - Update

    Several people, five terrorists and two civilians, have been killed in a series of multiple explosions and gunfire in the center of Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. Around 10:50 am local Jakarta time the first explosion occurred near the Sarinah department store on Jalan M.H. Thamrin in Central Jakarta. Previously Indonesian authorities had already received a threat from Islamic State that the country would be in the spotlight of this terrorist organization. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

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  • Bank Indonesia Cuts Interest Rate (BI Rate) to 7.25% in January

    Although global media focus on the vicious terrorist attacks that occurred today in Jakarta, the country's central bank (Bank Indonesia) made a surprise move by cutting its key interest rate (BI rate) by 25 basis points to 7.50 percent at the January policy meeting. It is a surprise as Bank Indonesia emphasized repeatedly that it is primarily focused on rupiah stability while - amid severe market volatility (due to economic turmoil in China) - the rupiah remains under pressure.

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  • Indonesia Expected to See Sugar Deficit in 2016

    Indonesia is forced to import sugar as domestic production of white crystal sugar in 2015 failed to achieve the target of 2.7 million tons. Indonesia's sugar processing plants only managed to produce 2.5 million tons of white crystal sugar in 2015. The Indonesian Sugar Association (AGI) predicts a widening sugar deficit in 2016 as it sees domestic production slowing further to 2.3 million tons in 2016, implying that about 400,000 tons of sugar need to be imported in order to meet domestic demand.

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