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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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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Cement sales in Indonesia rose 0.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) to 4.54 million tons in February 2017 from 4.54 million tons in the same month one year earlier. This growth pace is considerably below market participants' targets. Weak cement sales in the second month of 2017 are blamed on weather conditions (the high amount of rainfall that caused floods in several parts of Indonesia) and on the fact that direct investment (in infrastructure and property) outside Java remains bleak.

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On 12 March 2017, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website over the last seven days. Most of the topics involve political, social and economy-related topics the looming Fed Funds Rate hike, Indonesia's sovereign debt ratings, the tourism sector, the footwear sector, the ceramic sector, corporate earnings, coal mining, and more.

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