Indonesian entrepreneurs say their credit demand is limited due to few expansion and investment plans ahead of the end of the year. Although the Indonesian economy is recovering - reflected by accelerated GDP growth figures in the first two quarters of the year - demand from abroad for Indonesian products remains weak, while domestic demand remains somewhat subdued as well (reflected by the nation's structurally weakening export and import figures over the past 15 months). As a result credit growth has been slowing accordingly.

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By relaxing the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects to see House Ownership Credit (Kredit Pemilikan Rumah, abbreviated KPR) growth to accelerate by an additional 5 percent. Up to April 2016, KPR growth was recorded at 7.61 percent (y/y) only, down significantly from the years 2012-2013 when - amid the glory years of property development in Indonesia - KPR growth touched figures of between 30 - 49 percent (y/y). Back then concerns emerged whether Indonesia was about to experience a price bubble in the property sector.

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Indonesian banks support the country's financial authorities' intention to cut lending rates to single digit margins (in a bid to boost credit growth and economic activity). However, these banks argue that lower interest rates should be the result of enhanced efficiency at banks, not by the Financial Services Authority (OJK)'s plan to cut banks' net interest margin (NIM). Earlier this year, the OJK - the government agency that regulates and supervises Indonesia's financial services sector - announced its plan to push state-owned banks' NIM down to the range of 3 to 4 percent.

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In anticipation of the Financial Services Authority's new policy, Indonesian banks categorized under BUKU III claim to be ready for a lower net interest margin (NIM). NIM is the difference between interest income generated by banks and the amount of interest paid out to the lenders. BUKU (Bank Umum Kelompok Usaha) is a categorization system, designed by Bank Indonesia, that divides Indonesian banks into four categories based on the banks' capital. Banks categorized under BUKU III have capital between IDR 5 trillion (approx. USD $373 million) and IDR 30 trillion (approx. USD $2.2 billion).

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The Indonesian government, central bank (Bank Indonesia) and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) have formed a team that will study and encourage lower lending and mortgage rates in Indonesia - to single digit levels - by the end of 2016. Indonesia's Chief Economics Minister Darmin Nasution explained that this is part of government efforts to boost economic activity in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Indonesia's lending rates have been high due to banks' prudent management and the high cost of funds, hence limiting credit growth as well as economic growth.

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Next week Indonesian authorities start to exempt various goods from the country’s luxury tax in an effort to boost consumption in Indonesia’s slowing economy. Today (12/06), Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said that the government aims to boost Indonesians’ purchasing power, industrial growth and to reduce consumers’ tendency to purchase goods abroad by scrapping the luxury goods sales tax for various products. Secondly, Indonesia will halve lending rates for some small businesses.

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The banking sector of Indonesia continues to post impressive double-digit growth amid the country's expanding economy and the people's increasing demand for consumer lending. A number of prominent Indonesian banks, which includes Bank Mandiri, Bank Central Asia, Bank Negara Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, and Bank CIMB Niaga, have released strong Q1-2013 performance results. However, as the central bank's interest rate might be raised due to inflationary pressures, profits from lending can decline.

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In the first three policy meetings of 2016, Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) cut its benchmark BI rate gradually yet aggressively from 7.50 percent to 6.75 percent as inflation, the rupiah rate and Indonesia's current account deficit were regarded as 'under control'. At the same time, Indonesia's lender of last resort acknowledged the BI rate has failed to influence borrowing costs and market liquidity effectively and therefore decided to adopt the seven-day reverse repurchase rate (reverse repo) as the nation's new benchmark starting from August 2016.

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