Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves fell USD $2.8 billion to USD $108.0 billion at the end of June 2015 (from USD $110.8 billion one month earlier). This fall was caused by foreign debt repayment and the use of foreign exchange to stabilize the rupiah exchange rate. Due to external pressures (particularly looming further monetary tightening in the USA this year and the possible Greek exit from the euro), the rupiah is the worst performing Asian currency tracked by Bloomberg so far in 2015, weakening about 7 percent against the US dollar.

Lanjut baca ›

Agus Martowardojo, Governor of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia), predicts that the current economic turmoil in the Eurozone, caused by the Greek debt crisis, will impact on the stability of developing countries, including Indonesia. Although in terms of both trade and investment there should not be a real impact originating from Greek turmoil, the perception of macroeconomic stability will be somewhat hit on the back of global uncertainty. In line with most markets, Indonesian stocks and the rupiah weakened on Monday (06/07).

Lanjut baca ›

Seperti yang telah diprediksi saham-saham Indonesia dan juga rupiah melemah pada pembukaan perdagangan di hari Senin pagi (06/07). Performa ini sejalan dengan arah pasar-pasar lain di Asia. Alasan utama di balik performa ini adalah hasil dari referendum Yunani, diadakan pada hari Minggu (05/07), yang menunjukkan bahwa para pemilih Yunani sangat menolak rencana-rencana reformasi yang dituntut oleh para kreditor internasionalnya. Ini secara serius membahayakan masa depan Yunani di zona euro.

Lanjut baca ›

Pada 1 Juli 2015, Peraturan Bank Indonesia No. 17/3/PBI/2015 tentang Kewajiban Penggunaan Rupiah di Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia mulai berlaku. Peraturan BI ini, ditandatangani pada 31 Maret 2015, melarang penggunaan mata uang asing dalam transaksi di Indonesia dalam rangka memperdalam pasar domestik rupiah, menstabilkan rupiah (yang telah melemah terhadap dollar AS), dan mendorong ekspansi perekonomian. Undang-Undang sebelumnya (UU No. 7/2011) mengizinkan pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam kontrak untuk membuat kesepakatan menggunakan mata uang lainnya (bukan rupiah) untuk pembayaran.

Lanjut baca ›

Eric Sugandi, Chief Economist dari Standard Chartered Bank, memprediksi bahwa rupiah akan melemah menjadi Rp 13.900 per dollar Amerika Serikat (AS) pada akhir tahun ini dari Rp 13.339 pada hari ini (29/06) karena dampak dari momentum bullish dollar AS menjelang pengetatan moneter di AS dan ancaman keluarnya Yunani dari zona euro. Sebenarnya, ini adalah prognosa konservatif. Apabila bank sentral Indonesia tidak meningkatkan suku bunga acuannya (BI rate), sekarang pada 7,50%, tekanan terhadap rupiah mungkin akan meningkat nyata secara lebih lanjut.

Lanjut baca ›

Meskipun Indonesia dianggap sebagai salah satu perekonomian Asia yang sangat rentah terhadap keluarnya Yunani dari zona euro (Greek exit/Grexit), saham dan rupiah Indonesia tidak melemah sebanyak aset-aset pasar negara berkembang lainnya pada hari Senin (29/06), hari perdagangan pertama setelah hancurnya pembicaraan antara Yunani, yang dibebani banyak hutang, dengan para kreditor internasionalnya. Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) jatuh 0,82% menjadi 4.882,59 poin sementara rupiah melemah 0,24% menjadi Rp 13.339 per dollar AS (Indeks Bloomberg).

Lanjut baca ›

Saham Indonesia diprediksi merasakan tekanan turun yang berat pada hari Senin (29/06) karena pembicaraan yang terhenti antara Yunani yang terbeban hutang dengan para kreditor internasionalnya. Transaksi Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) masih belum dibuka namun pasar-pasar Asia yang lain segera jatuh setelah pembukaan. Indeks Nikkei 225 dari Jepang turun 2,28% sementara yen menguat (para investor sedang mengejar aset-aset yang aman), sementara KOSPI dari Korea Selatan jatuh 1,5%. Nilai euro sangat menurun dalam perdagangan Asia.

Lanjut baca ›

Most stock indices across the world continued to fall on Friday (26/06) on heightened concern that debt-ridden Greece will fail to reach an agreement with its international creditors. The deal is necessary for Greece to obtain bailout funds in order to avoid a default on its debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) due on 30 June 2015. A default could mean a Greek exit (Grexit) from the Eurozone and jeopardizes stability of the whole financial system of the region. Talks between both sides will continue into the weekend.

Lanjut baca ›

As Greece and its international creditors have failed to reach an agreement (yet) regarding the disbursement of crucial bailout funds for the debt payment of debt-ridden Greece to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) later this month, most Asian stocks fell on Thursday (25/06) in cautious trading. Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index) fell 0.68 percent to 4,920.04 points, while the rupiah depreciated 0.20 percent to IDR 13,328 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index.

Lanjut baca ›

Pada hari Selasa (23/06) indeks-indeks saham Asia meningkatkan keuntungan berkat optimisme bahwa Yunani yang sedang dibebani hutang tidak akan gagal melakukan pembayaran hutang dan tetap menjadi anggota Uni Eropa. Sekalipun para pemimpin Uni Eropa mengingatkan bahwa masih ada pekerjaan yang harus dilakukan sebelum persetujuan bisa dicapai antara Yunani dan para kreditornya, pasar yakin bahwa tercapainya kesepakatan hanya masalah waktu. Kendati begitu, sama dengan keadaan kemarin, Indeks Harga Saham Gabungan (IHSG) tidak mengikuti optimisme global dan justru menurun 0,44% menjadi 4.937,65 poin.

Lanjut baca ›

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.

Lanjut baca ›

The forming of a morning doji star indeed indicated that there was potential for continued upward movement of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) despite the profit taking actions that emerged and limited the gain of the index (particularly those stocks that went into the overbought area). Factors that contributed positively to today's (21/01) performance of the Jakarta Composite Index were rising Asian stock markets and a rebound in commodity stocks as a number of commodities recorded slightly higher prices.

Lanjut baca ›

According to Fauzi Ichsan, Managing Director at Bank Standard Chartered Indonesia, there is a possibility that Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) will raise its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) from 7.50 percent to 8 percent at the next Board of Governor's Meeting as the country's current account deficit has not improved markedly yet. The deficit stood at about 3.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) at the end of 2013. Bank Indonesia intends to lower the deficit to a sustainable level of below 3 percent in 2014.

Lanjut baca ›

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).

Lanjut baca ›

In 2014, Indonesia is expected to see capital inflow of between USD $1 billion and USD $1.5 billion of funds for investments in the country's car components industry. About 20 to 30 companies are eager to expand or start business in this sector of Southeast Asia's largest economy (each investing about USD $50 million). Indonesia's car industry is attractive due to record high car sales in recent years (triggered by strong domestic GDP per capita growth) as well as double-digit export growth (although coming from a low base).

Lanjut baca ›

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.

Lanjut baca ›

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).

Lanjut baca ›

On Wednesday (18/12), the Federal Reserve announced to slightly scale back its quantitative easing program starting from January 2014. The reduction of the bond-buying program involves USD $5 billion of mortgage-backed securities and USD $5 billion of US treasury securities. Thus, the Federal Reserve will purchase a total of USD $75 billion worth of bonds per month instead of the current pace of USD $85 billion. For the moment, this policy change has an euphoric effect on global stock markets.

Lanjut baca ›

The Indonesia rupiah exchange rate continued its downward trend on Wednesday (18/12). Both Bank Indonesia's Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate (JISDOR) and Bloomberg Dollar Index indicated a depreciating rupiah against the US dollar. Bank Indonesia's JISDOR was set at IDR 12,151 per US dollar, a 0.39 percent fall from yesterday (17/12), while in the Bloomberg Dollar Index the currency depreciated 0.35 percent to IDR 12,168 per US dollar at 16:55 in the afternoon, local Jakarta time.

Lanjut baca ›

Ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on 17-18 December 2013, the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate is continuing its depreciating trend as the economies of the USA and Japan, particularly the capital markets, are improving and causes the US dollar and Yen to appreciate against other currencies. Both currencies are considered safe havens amid the current volatile world economy. One of the victims is the rupiah, which fell to IDR 12,126 per US dollar at 12.30 local Jakarta time (Bloomberg Dollar Index).

Lanjut baca ›