The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia, or BI) kept its benchmark interest rate at 5.75 percent and its overnight deposit facility rate (FASBI) at four percent as the country's core inflation figure is still within the target range of the central bank (3.5-5.5 percent). Core inflation currently stands at 4.12 percent (YoY). However, as the price of subsidized fuel is expected to rise in June, inflation may increase and could trigger a policy response by Bank Indonesia later this year.

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Analysts expect that Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) will maintain its benchmark interest rate at 5.75 percent in tomorrow's meeting (14/05/13). This rate, a historic low rate for Indonesia, has been in force since February 2012. The central bank's deposit facility (Fasbi) is also expected to be kept at 4 percent. The position of Governor of Bank Indonesia - currently held by Darmin Nasution - will be taken over at the end of this month by Agus Martowardojo.

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In April 2013, Indonesia's inflation rate eased 0.10 percent month-on-month, or 5.57 percent year-on-year. According to Statistics Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, abbreviated BPS) April's deflation was triggered by easing food and clothes prices. Food items that became cheaper last month included garlic, chili, and chicken meat. Particularly rice contributed to the country's deflation as the harvesting season in Indonesia has set in. Core inflation is 4.12 percent (YoY).

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Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) decided to hold the country’s key interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent, the deposit facility rate at 5.50 percent, and the lending facility rate at 8.00 percent at the Board of Governor’s Meeting conducted on Tuesday 17 March 2015. Bank Indonesia said that its decision is in line with its ongoing efforts to push inflation back to the target range of 4±1 percent for both 2015 and 2016, and to guide the country’s current account deficit towards a healthier level at 2.5-3 percent of GDP in the medium term.

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Indeks harga konsumen Indonesia turun di bulan Februari 2015, mencatat deflasi 0,36% dalam basis month-on-month (m/m), sementara tingkat inflasi tahunan (y/y) nasional berkurang menjadi 6,29%, turun dari 6,96% (y/y) di bulan sebelumnya. Tekanan-tekanan inflasi berkurang terutama karena menurunnya harga cabai dan bahan bakar. Berkurangnya tingkat inflasi di negara dengan ekonomi terbesar di Asia Tenggara ini bisa menyediakan ruang bagi bank sentral (Bank Indonesia) untuk memotong suku bunga lebih lanjut di tahun ini.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate continued to depreciate on Monday (02/03). According to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia’s currency depreciated 0.30 percent to IDR 12,970 per US dollar, a six-year low. Apart from general bullish US dollar momentum in recent months (amid monetary tightening in the USA), the rupiah weakened due to Bank Indonesia’s signals that it tolerates a weaker currency in a move to boost exports (limiting the country’s current account deficit), and due to China’s interest rates cut.

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In a surprise move, the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) decided to lower its key interest rate (BI rate) by 25 basis points to 7.50 percent at the Board of Governor’s Meeting on Tuesday (17/02). The deposit facility rate (Fasbi) was also lowered by 25 basis points (to 5.50 percent), while the lending facility rate remained steady at 8.00 percent. In a press release the central bank stated that the current policy direction is estimated to moderate the country’s wide current account deficit further, while inflation remains under control.

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Nilai tukar rupiah menguat pada Senin (16/02) karena neraca perdagangan dan neraca transaksi berjalan membaik, sementara dolar AS melemah karena penjualan ritel AS yang mengecewakan dan karena optimisme bahwa Yunani akan tetap menjadi anggota zona euro. Sementara itu, kementerian keuangan Indonesia mengadakan lelang obligasi konvensional di mana Rp 12 triliun dijual. Berdasarkan data Bloomberg, rupiah terapresiasi 0.35 persen menjadi Rp 12,753 per dolar AS pada Senin (16/02).

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Walaupun pertumbuhan ekonomi Indonesia bergerak lebih lambat pada tahun 2014, terlihat optimisme bahwa pertumbuhan tersebut akan rebound pada tahun 2015 meskipun kondisi ekonomi global belum kondusif (dan membatasi kinerja ekspor Indonesia) serta lingkungan suku bunga Indonesia yang masih tinggi. Bank Indonesia menaikkan BI rate beberapa kali selama satu setengah tahun terakhir dalam upaya untuk mencegah inflasi tinggi (yang disebabkan oleh kenaikan harga BBM subsidi), menghambat aliran keluar modal menjelang pengetatan moneter AS, membatasi defisit transaksi berjalan dan mendukung nilai rupiah.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated on Wednesday (14/01) as global oil and other commodity prices continued to fall thus casting a negative spell on Indonesia’s currency. The rupiah depreciated 0.11 percent to IDR 12,614 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index. Market participants are concerned about the negative influence of low commodity prices on Indonesia’s export performance. Southeast Asia’s largest economy has had to cope with a wide trade and current account deficit in recent years.

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In line with the performance of other Asian emerging currencies, Indonesia's rupiah exchange rate appreciated on Monday (12/01) as the fall in US wages (released late last week) caused speculation that the Federal Reserve will - for now - delay its plan to start raising US borrowing costs. Despite solid growing US non-farm payrolls in December 2014, US wages (average hourly earnings) fell the most in eight years. Indonesia’s rupiah appreciated 0.38 percent to IDR 12,599 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index.

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International credit rating agency Fitch Ratings maintained Indonesia’s sovereign rating at BBB-/stable outlook (investment grade). Baradita Katoppo, President Director of Indonesia’s Fitch Ratings branch, said that the firm is positive about the country’s financial fundamentals and prudent fiscal policy as the central bank has showed to prefer stability over growth, resulting in slowing credit growth and rising foreign exchange reserves in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Economic growth is expected to fall to 5.1 percent (y/y) in 2014.

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The Governor of Indonesia’s central bank, Agus Martowardojo, said that he expects inflation to accelerate to 6.1 percent year-on-year (y/y) in November 2014, significantly up from 4.83 percent y/y in the previous month. Accelerated inflation is caused by the multiplier effect triggered by the recent subsidized fuel price hike in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. On 18 November 2014, the government introduced higher prices for subsidized fuels in a bid to reallocate public spending from fuel consumption to structural development.

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