In line with nearly all other Asian stock markets, Indonesia’s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) plunged 2.15 percent to 4,412.46 points on Tuesday (01/09). After Asian trade had closed European and US indices also plummeted severely. The main reason is today’s announcement that China’s manufacturing fell to a three-year low in August 2015, yet another sign that China’s economic growth is declining faster than estimated. The country’s manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.7 in August from 50.0 in July (a reading below 50.0 indicates contraction).

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Most Asian stock markets are strengthening on Friday after indices on Wall Street rose yesterday on strong US economic growth. The US economy grew 3.7 percent (y/y) in the second quarter of 2015 (much higher than the 2.3 percent estimated previously). As a result, the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.27 percent while global oil prices rebounded over 10 percent on Thursday (27/08).

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In line with major stock indices in Asia, Indonesia’s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index rebounded directly after the opening of trade on Thursday (27/08). The index surged 2.51 percent to 4,344.11 points. Most indices in Asia were up after the US Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed nearly 4 percent on Wednesday (26/08), effectively ending a six-day losing streak, on heightened expectation that the Federal Reserve will not raise its key Fed Fund Rate yet in September. However, markets are still plagued by severe volatility.

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The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) announced today (25/08) that it has curtailed the daily limit on share price losses to ten percent. This means that shares of listed Indonesian companies on the IDX can fall up to a maximum of 10 percent per day (from the range of 20 to 35 percent previously). This revised regulation aims to cushion the negative effects of current high (global) market volatility. Yesterday (‘Black Monday’), the Jakarta Composite Index fell to a 20-month low. The cap on upper price movements remains 20-35 percent per day.

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Most analysts expected that Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index) would be plagued by another selloff on Tuesday (25/08) as the major stock indices in the USA and Europe plunged yesterday, while commodity prices hit new lows (crude oil fell below USD $40 per barrel for the first time since 2009). Moreover, Shanghai and Japan opened in the red. However, reality proves differently. Around 11:25 am local Jakarta time the Jakarta Composite Index was up 1.77 percent to 4,237.28 points.

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There are few signs that Indonesian stocks and the rupiah will rebound on Tuesday (25/08). Benchmark stock indices of China and Japan continued to fall directly after opening on Tuesday and are therefore expected to drag down other markets in Asia. Yesterday, major markets in the USA and Europe slumped, while commodity prices hit new lows (oil slid below USD $40 per barrel for the first time since 2009). The rupiah continued to weaken after opening on Tuesday to IDR 14,065 per US dollar by 09:06 am local Jakarta time.

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The global selloff hit Asian markets on Monday (24/08). Stock indices and currencies in the Asian region collapsed dramatically on Monday morning. Indonesia’s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) was down 4.66 percent to 4,133.33 points by 10:50 am local Jakarta time, while the rupiah had weakened beyond IDR 14,000 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index. China’s benchmark Shanghai Composite Index plunged over 8 percent. What is happening to the emerging market assets in Asia today?

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The Indonesian rupiah continues to flirt with a 17-year low as the currency is getting closer and closer to the IDR 14,000 per US dollar level. Meanwhile, Indonesian stocks took another blow as the country’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index) fell 2.39 percent on Friday (21/08). Such turmoil is not only confined to Indonesia but was felt across Asia and the West. Markets were plagued by selloffs in energy shares (due to falling oil prices) and uncertainty about the timing of higher US interest rates.

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Contrary to the expectation of most analysts, the US Federal Reserve will possibly refrain from raising its key interest rate in September. On Wednesday evening (19/08) the minutes of the Fed's latest FOMC meeting (held in July) were released and they showed that most officials agreed that the US economy is heading for an interest rate hike but is not quite there yet as inflation remains lower than targeted while the current sluggish global economy poses risks and triggers high volatility.

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Indonesian stocks and the rupiah continued to weaken on Wednesday (19/08) in line with most other Asian stocks and currencies. Investors are cautious ahead of the release of the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest FOMC meeting, hence moving into safe haven assets. The minutes are to be released early Thursday morning local Indonesian time. Investors will be searching for signs informing about a possible Fed Fund Rate hike in September. If there are such signs, emerging market assets will be under heavy pressure tomorrow.

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Indonesian assets were the worst performers in Asia on Thursday's trading day (03/11). Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) fell 1.41 percent to 5,329.50 points, the largest single-day drop in the past two months. The performance of Indonesia was in line with the regional (and global) trend. Over the past couple of days a worldwide selloff occurred as polls indicate that the US presidential race between Hillary Clinton (Democrats) and Donald Trump (Republicans) is tighter than initially assumed.

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In line with the performance of most stocks in Asia, Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index plunged 1.66 percent to 5,281.92 points on Friday (09/09). Several matters brought negative market sentiments to Asia: the European Central Bank (ECB) seems unwilling to boost asset purchases, North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test, while Indonesia's central bank announced that the nation's retail sales expanded at a slower pace in July 2016. Meanwhile, the Indonesian rupiah depreciated 0.34 percent to IDR 13,108 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index).

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Many things happened this week. A devastating terror attack in Nice (France) killed at least 84 people, while - at the time of writing - a coup attempt occurred in Turkey (that seems to have failed). However, these events have little impact on the performance of global stocks and currencies (with the obvious exception of the Turkish lira). Wall Street touched record highs, while Indonesian stocks rose to a 13-month high and the Indonesian rupiah strengthened to a four-month high. Lets take a closer look at the performance of these markets over the past week.

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The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) is serious about becoming the largest stock exchange in the ASEAN region - in terms of transaction value and the number of listed companies - by the year 2020. Currently, Singapore remains the largest stock exchange in the ASEAN region with a market capitalization of about USD $640 billion (in 2015), nearly twice the size of Indonesia's stock exchange (the market capitalization is the number of total outstanding shares at the exchange multiplied by their stock prices).

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Fundraising in Indonesia's capital markets touched a multi-year low in the first quarter of 2016. Based on data from Bloomberg, only IDR 142.1 billion (approx. USD $10.8 million) was raised through rights issues and initial public offerings (IPOs) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in Q1-2016, the lowest figure in the past seven years. Analysts expect fundraising in the capital markets of Indonesia to improve from the second quarter of 2016 onward due to expected accelerating economic growth and Bank Indonesia's lower interest rate environment.

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A number of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) have already announced their dividend pay-out ratios for 2015. Ten companies set the pay-out ratio for 2015 below the pay-out ratio in the preceding year. It is assumed that these firms cut back on dividend payments to shareholders in order to have more working capital and room for capital expenditure and investment as the Indonesian economy is expected to accelerate in 2016 with a GDP growth pace of 5.3 percent (y/y). Amid this improving macroeconomic context, these firms prefer to invest for further business expansion.

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Although Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index has risen 4.81 percent since the start of 2016 (thus being among the world's best-performing benchmark stock indices so far this year, especially if the 5.17 percent appreciation of the rupiah is included into the calculation), not all Indonesian blue chip stocks, or big caps, have risen. Several examples are Blue Bird, Bank Pan Indonesia, Bank Permata, Global Mediacom, Surya Citra Media, and Sarana Menara Nusantara. Why did these stocks not rise so far in 2016? We zoom in on three cases.

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Indonesian stock markets have garnered a good deal of attention to start the year, with the Jakarta Composite Index (JKSE) showing gains of more than 3.2 percent for the period. This is something of an anomaly when we look at the global stock market as a whole, given the fact that most investors have already started to brace for a generalized tightening cycle in interest rates in several key economies.

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Although the Jakarta Composite Index, Indonesia's benchmark stock index, fell 12.13 percent during the year 2015, not all shares of listed companies were in red territory last year. It is interesting to take a look at those shares, particularly the blue-chip stocks, that still managed to rise amid unconducive domestic and global economic conditions. Therefore, we present the top gainers of the LQ45 index. This LQ45 index, created by the research and development division of the Indonesia Stock Exchange, consists of 45 stocks that meet specific criteria.

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Shares of newly-listed Dua Putra Utama Makmur soared on Tuesday (08/12) at its debut on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). Shares of the fish processing firm, the 15th company to be welcomed on the IDX in 2015, climbed 50 percent to finish at IDR 825 per share. Dua Putra Utama Makmur offered 40 percent (1.67 billion new shares) of its total equity at a price of IDR 550 per share, hence raising IDR 918.5 billion (approx. USD $67 million).

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