Despite (modestly) accelerating economic growth since 2016, concerns about Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) expansion persist. Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution said he expects Indonesia's economic growth to slow in the first quarter of 2018 (compared to Q1-2017) as the peak of the nation's big harvest is expected to occur in the second quarter this year (while last year it fell in the March/April period). Meanwhile, credit growth has remained bleak in Indonesia.

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The weakening growth trend of the Chinese economy may not have ended yet. Despite the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rebounding to 6.9 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017, its economy is expected to cool in 2018 as a government-led crackdown on debt risks and factory pollution drags on overall activity in the world's second-largest economy. This is a problem for Indonesia as well because China is Indonesia's biggest trading partner.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a new report about the Indonesian economy - released on 6 February 2018 - in which the Washington-based institution paints a positive picture of the prospects for economic growth in Indonesia. Indonesia's real GDP growth is projected to rise gradually to 5.6 percent year-on-year (y/y) over the medium term, led by robust domestic demand.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) stated on Thursday (28/12) that it expects to see Indonesia's economic growth at 5.05 percent year-on-year (y/y) in full-year 2017, up modestly from 5.02 percent (y/y) in the preceding year. Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo said the Indonesian economy is recovering unevenly yet gradually.

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Like in most other nations across the world, Indonesia is also experiencing rapid urbanization. Currently, 56 percent of the Indonesian population lives in urban areas (at the start of the century - in 2000 - the figure was 42 percent). Although urbanization is - in theory - an engine of economic growth, Indonesia is not reaping the full benefits of urbanization.

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The World Bank released the December 2017 edition of its flagship publication "Indonesia Economic Quarterly" on Thursday (14/12). This latest edition, which is titled "Decentralization that delivers", paints a positive picture about Indonesia's economic growth and financial system stability for the year 2018 and beyond.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released several preliminary statements related to the latest visit of a IMF team, led by Luis E. Breuer, to Indonesia (the visit took place between 1 - 14 November 2017). Overall, the team sees the continuation of good economic growth in Indonesia, supported by prudent macroeconomic policies, improved global GDP growth and rising commodity prices, as well as sustained efforts to strengthen the nation's competitiveness.

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Although, overall, Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the third quarter of 2017 was slightly disappointing at a pace of 5.06 percent year-on-year (y/y), investment, export and government consumption all strengthened. Hence, the main reason why Indonesia's Q3-2017 GDP growth was below expectations is sliding growth of household consumption.

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Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced today (06/11) that the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5.06 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the third quarter of 2017. Like in the preceding two quarters, this latest figure is (slightly) below analysts' estimates. On average, analysts had expected growth in the range of 5.10 - 5.20 percent (y/y) in Q3-2017.

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Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani is optimistic that Indonesia's economic growth in 2018 can exceed the government target of 5.4 percent year-on-year (y/y) as set in the 2018 State Budget, which was approved by Indonesian parliament last week. Her optimism is based on an expected pickup in investment and exports next year.

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What marked the year 2019 for Indonesia was national politics. Although in these present times each year feels like a ‘political year’ for Indonesia – as the country’s local elections are spread out across years (and in 2020 it will be the turn of voters in various parts of the Archipelago to elect nine governors, 224 regents and 37 mayors) – the year 2019 was in fact a particularly ‘huge political year’ for Indonesia because of the (general) presidential and legislative elections that were held on 17 April 2019.

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Given a variety of recent events, Indonesia has seemingly entered a liminal phase in its development trajectory, suggesting that its economic vulnerability will be tested in new ways. The present circumstances should be understood as a particular test for the ability of policy initiatives to temper the effects of perturbing exogenous factors and demand shocks to the overall economy.

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In early May 2019 Indonesia’s statistics agency (in Indonesian: Badan Pusat Statistik, or BPS) announced that the nation’s economic growth pace was recorded at 5.07 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the first quarter of 2019.

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Indonesia’s stock market continues to struggle in attempts to find a bottom, as recent declines have been propelled by lower-than-expected GDP figures. For the first quarter, annualized growth of rates of 5.07 percent indicated a slight miss relative to the consensus estimates for the period (5.18 percent). Primary weaknesses were seen in export markets, where slowing demand for key commodities (such as coal and palm oil) indicated contraction for the first time since 2016.

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Credit rating agency Fitch Ratings announced on 14 March 2019 that it has affirmed Indonesia's long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating at 'BBB' with a stable outlook (investment grade level). This decision was particularly based on Indonesia’s favorable gross domestic product (GDP) growth outlook and the nation’s small government debt burden (government debt is low at an estimated 29.8 percent of GDP in 2018).

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In early November 2018 the Central Statistics Bureau (BPS) announced that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 5.17 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the third quarter of 2018. Although it means a slowdown from the 5.27 percent (y/y) growth pace in the preceding quarter, the Q3-2018 GDP growth rate actually slightly exceeded our expectations.

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In the second half of September 2018 the World Bank released its latest Indonesia Economic Quarterly (abbreviated IEQ), titled “Urbanization for All”. The IEQ, a flagship publication of the Washington-based institution which (at least in our view) is among the most interesting reports that are on a regular basis published about the Indonesian economy, has two main aims. Firstly, it informs about the key developments that occurred in Indonesia’s economy over the past three months, and places these developments in a longer-term and global context. Secondly, the IEQ provides an in-depth examination of selected economic and policy issues and an analysis of Indonesia’s medium-term development challenges.

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It was a welcome surprise when Indonesia’s Statistics Agency (in Indonesian: Badan Pusat Statistik, or BPS) announced in early August that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 5.27 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the second quarter of 2018.

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Although overshadowed by the news of the devastating earthquake in Lombok, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) released the official Q2-2018 gross domestic product (GDP) growth figure of Indonesia earlier today. The economy of Indonesia expanded 5.27 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the second quarter of 2018. This growth pace exceeds our expectations although it is not enough to necessitate a revision to our full-year 2018 GDP growth forecast of 5.2 percent (y/y).

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There are doubts whether Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth can reach 5.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) in full-year 2018 as Indonesia is experiencing a couple of major challenges. Challenges include the global trade war, the fragile rupiah, Bank Indonesia's higher benchmark interest rate, the current account deficit, and political tensions ahead of the 2019 legislative and presidential elections. Currently, Indonesia Investments' forecast for Indonesia's economic growth is set at 5.2 percent (y/y) in 2018.

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