Global markets are again facing rough times after China’s manufacturing activity fell to a three-year low in July 2015, yet another sign that the world’s second-largest economy is slowing faster than earlier estimated (and this surely impacts negatively on the global economy). Concerns about China led to plunging stock indices from Japan to New York on Tuesday (01/09). Moreover, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who is on a visit in Indonesia, said the IMF may soon cut its forecast for global economic growth in 2015 again (from 3.3 percent currently).

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In line with nearly all other Asian stock markets, Indonesia’s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) plunged 2.15 percent to 4,412.46 points on Tuesday (01/09). After Asian trade had closed European and US indices also plummeted severely. The main reason is today’s announcement that China’s manufacturing fell to a three-year low in August 2015, yet another sign that China’s economic growth is declining faster than estimated. The country’s manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.7 in August from 50.0 in July (a reading below 50.0 indicates contraction).

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Mirah Sumirat, Ketua Asosiasi Serikat Pekerja (ASPEK), menyatakan bahwa puluhan ribu buruh yang berpartisipasi dalam demonstrasi yang diorganisir di Jakarta Pusat pada hari Selasa (01/09), tidak bertujuan melakukan anarki atau kudeta tapi hanya meminta Pemerintah lebih berusaha untuk melindungi kepentingan rakyat (seperti yang diamanatkan oleh Undang-Undang Dasar 1945; Pasal 27, Ayat 2).

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Christine Lagarde, Managing Director International Monetary Fund (IMF), akan tiba di Indonesia (Jakarta) hari ini (01/09) untuk berpartisipasi di konferensi dua hari bertema ‘Future of Asia’s Finance: Financing for Development 2015’, yang diorganisir oleh IMF dan bank sentral Indonesia (Bank Indonesia). Bertentangan dengan rumor akhir-akhir ini, kunjungan Lagarde tidak berkaitan dengan dugaan Indonesia akan meminta pinjaman baru dari IMF.

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