Today, Bank Indonesia will start its February two-day policy meeting. Markets are eagerly awaiting whether the central bank of Indonesia will indeed cut its key interest rate (BI rate) again. Last month, it had cut the BI rate by 0.25 percent to 7.25 percent as inflation, the current account deficit and the rupiah rate were all under control. Although the rate cut was welcomed by the business community it was considered not enough to push borrowing costs lower in Southeast Asia's largest economy hence unable to boost economic activity significantly.

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The Indonesian rupiah is appreciating markedly on Wednesday (10/02). By 12:30 pm local Jakarta time, Indonesia's currency had appreciated 1.62 percent to IDR 13,391 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, a three-month high. Today, most emerging currencies in Asia are appreciating against the US dollar ahead of Fed Chair Janet Yellen's testimony in US Congress this week. Other factors that support strong rupiah appreciation are speculation that Indonesia will attract investors due to accelerating domestic economic growth and the move of Japan's central bank to introduce negative interest rates.

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The Indonesian rupiah has been under pressure so far today (03/02) on concern that falling oil prices drag down other commodity prices, hence negatively affecting Indonesia's export performance. Yesterday, a global selloff in stocks occurred as oil prices were again touching the USD $30 per barrel mark. Emerging market currencies too are under pressure. The Indonesian rupiah had depreciated 0.79 percent to IDR 13,799 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index) by 12:55 pm local Jakarta time.

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Asian stocks were mixed on Monday (01/02). However, Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index rose 0.21 percent to 4,624.63 points after a volatile trading day (one hour before trading closed, the index was down more than one percent). Furthermore, the Indonesian rupiah appreciated markedly, while there occurred inflows into bonds. It seems that Japan's surprise move to introduce negative interest rates managed to offset the negative impact of weak manufacturing activity in China and falling crude oil prices.

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Berlawan dengan harapan, saham Indonesia dan rupiah memiliki awal yang lemah di tahun yang baru. Pada hari Senin (4/1) Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) turun 1,46% menjadi 4.525,92 poin, sementara rupiah terdepresiasi 0,82% menjadi Rp 13.943 per dollar Amerika Serikat (Bloomberg Dollar Index). Kinerja saham Indonesia ini sejalan dengan kinerja saham di seluruh dunia. Perdagangan saham Republik Rakyat Tiongkok (RRT) bahkan dihentikan dua kali karena indeksnya merosot. Apa yang terjadi hari ini?

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Rupiah Indonesia meneruskan penguatan yang luar biasa pada hari Selasa (22/12). Mata uang ini naik 0,98% menjadi Rp 13.672 per dollar Amerika Serikat (AS) pada pukul 11:10 Waktu Indonesia Barat (Bloomberg Dollar Index). Rupiah telah pulih dari level rendahnya pada Rp 14.123 per dollar AS pada hari Senin 14 Desember menjadi Rp 13.672 per dollar AS, naik 3,2% dalam waktu sekitar satu minggu. Ada beberapa hal yang menjelaskan kinerja yang luar biasa ini.

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Rupiah Indonesia menguat secara signifikan terhadap dollar Amerika Serikat (AS) pada hari Senin (21/12) kendati ada prediksi bahwa rupiah akan menjadi mata uang dengan performa terburuk di Asia pada tahun 2016 akibat capital outflows (karena suku bunga AS direncanakan akan semakin dinaikkan pada tahun 2016), cadangan devisa Indonesia yang menurun, dan harga-harga komoditi yang terus-menerus rendah. Berdasarkan pada Bloomberg Dollar Index, rupiah telah menguat 1,13% menjadi Rp 13.760 per dollar AS pada pukul 14:20 Waktu Indonesia Barat (WIB) pada hari Senin (21/12).

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Indeks-indeks saham di Asia Tenggara jatuh pada hari Jumat (18/12), dipimpin oleh indeks-indeks acuan di Thailand dan Indonesia. Pasar-pasar Asia ini mengikuti koreksi global yang terjadi setelah investor mempertimbangkan dampak yang mungkin terjadi dari kenaikan suku bunga Federal Reserve. Saham-saham di Amerika Serikat (AS) dan Eropa turun pada hari Kamis dan hari Jumat, sementara harga minyak dan komoditi-komoditi lainnya terus menurun. Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) Indonesia turun 1,92 persen menjadi 4,468.65 poin.

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Setelah reli kuat pada hari Kamis (merespon positif terhadap pengumuman Federal Reserve untuk menaikkan Fed Fund Rate), aset-aset Indonesia melemah pada hari Jumat (18/12) sementara kebanyakan pasar Asia turun. Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) turun 1,20% menjadi 4.501,34 poin pada pukul 09:45 WIB, sementara rupiah telah melemah 0,22% menjadi Rp 14.040 per dollar Amerika Serikat (Bloomberg Dollar Index). Karena itu, saham-saham Indonesia mengikuti contoh saham-saham Amerika Serikat (AS) yang jatuh semalam.

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Saham dan rupiah Indonesia merespon sangat positif terhadap keputusan Federal Reserve Amerika Serikat (AS) untuk menaikkan Fed Fund Rate yang menjadi acuan sebesar 25 basis poin pada Rabu (16/12). Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) melonjak 1,62% menjadi 4.555,96 poin, sementara rupiah menguat 0,44% menjadi Rp 14.009 per dollar AS. Tidak hanya saham di Indonesia tetapi saham global juga sangat naik pada akhir dari ketidakpastian yang berkelanjutan mengenai waktu kenaikan suku bunga AS.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate appreciated 0.14 percent to IDR 11,581 per US dollar on Wednesday based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. The currency is now at its strongest level since 25 November 2013 as it regained trust of international investors. In 2013, the rupiah weakened sharply after speculation emerged that the Federal Reserve would scale back its quantitative easing program. In combination with the country's record high current account deficit and high inflation it led to large capital outflows from Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate had depreciated (0.15 percent) to IDR 11,665 per US dollar on Thursday (27/02), 15:00 local Jakarta time, based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. Governor of Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo stated yesterday to expect the currency to stabilize near current levels in line with its economic fundamentals ahead of looming further Federal Reserve tapering. Analysts estimate that Indonesia's trade balance might deteriorate in January 2014 as the impact of the mineral-ore export ban kicks in.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate continued its recent appreciating trend on Monday (17/02). Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the currency strengthened 0.39 percent to IDR 11,785 per US dollar at 16:00 local Jakarta time. Main reason for this renewed confidence in the rupiah is Indonesia's current account deficit, which eased significantly by the end of 2013. According to Bank Indonesia, the deficit eased from 4.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2013 to 1.98 percent of GDP in Q4-2013.

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Despite the release of positive macroeconomic data on Monday (03/02), Indonesia's rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.22 percent to IDR 12,240 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. China’s Manufacturing PMI fell to a six-month low of 50.5 in January and put pressure on stocks and currencies in emerging markets. Moreover, the Federal Reserve's further reduction of its quantitative easing program (to USD $65 billion per month) continues to strengthen the US dollar at the expense of emerging currencies.

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In the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia's rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.47 percent to IDR 12,238 per US dollar on Monday (27/01). The decline of the rupiah was in line with today's trend of weakening Asia Pacific currencies (against the US dollar). Meanwhile, the central bank's mid rate (the Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate or JISDOR) depreciated 0.17 percent to IDR 12,198 per US dollar. Market participants are concerned about Indonesia's January 2014 inflation and further Federal Reserve tapering.

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The Indonesia rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.13 percent to IDR 12,181 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index on Friday (24/01). Asian currencies felt the impact of a contraction of Chinese manufacturing as HSBC’s preliminary Purchasing Managers’ Index slipped to 49.6 in January 2014. Meanwhile, US existing homes sales in December were best since 2006 while US jobless claims were near a six-week low. These data fuel speculation that the Fed will continue to wind down its bond-buying program.

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The Indonesia rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.18 percent to IDR 12,165 at 16.30 local Jakarta time on Thursday (23/01), based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. Main reason for this decline is concern that Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) will maintain its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent despite an expected increase in January inflation due to massive floods as well as higher industrial electricity and LPG prices. Indonesia's January inflation rate is estimated to be around 1 percent.

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Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate had depreciated 0.18 percent to IDR 12,113 per US dollar at 14:45 local Jakarta time on Monday (20/01). The most important factor that caused this negative performance was China's slowing economic growth in quarter IV-2013. In the fourth quarter of 2013, China's GDP grew 7.7 percent, down from 7.8 percent in the previous quarter. This slowing growth indicates that China's economic 'recovery' is still fragile (China is among the five most important trade partners of Indonesia).

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On Wednesday (15/01), Indonesia's rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.37 percent to IDR 12,095 per US dollar at 14:15 local Jakarta time. Global markets are again in anticipation of the Federal Reserve tapering issue after the Fed officials of Philadelphia and Dallas stated that they support an as-soon-as-possible winding down of the US stimulus program after the release of strong US retail data. The tapering will make it very hard for emerging currencies to gain against the US dollar. At 28-29 January, the Federal Reserve will hold its next meeting.

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From the start of today's trading day (06/01), the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated against the US dollar. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia's currency fell 0.48 percent to IDR 12,238 per US dollar at 13:00 local Jakarta time. This declining trend is in line with the majority of other Asian Pacific currencies. With the exception of the Australian dollar and the Japanese yen, the US dollar appreciated against all Asia Pacific currencies in the morning of Monday (06/01).

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