The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate has appreciated 0.50 percent to IDR 11,779 per US dollar by 16:00pm local Jakarta time on Monday (09/06). This performance is in line with the general trend in Asia where emerging market currencies strengthened against the greenback on today’s trading day. The rupiah is among today’s best-performing emerging currencies as it was boosted by the higher trade surplus of China (one of Indonesia’s most important trading partners) and economic growth in Japan.

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Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) said that it expects the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate to trade between IDR 11,600 and IDR 11,800 per US dollar throughout the fiscal year of 2014. Governor of Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo said that this assumption is based on pressures that originate from Indonesia's current account deficit. In 2013, the current account deficit hit USD $29.09 billion, or 3.33 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The current account balance has a major influence on the performance of a currency.

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One day after the official announcement that two pairs will compete in the presidential election (9 July 2014), the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) and the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate are still in a state of decline. Although yesterday (19/05) the rupiah and IHSG strengthened considerably prior and shortly after Joko "Jokowi" Widodo declared that Jusuf Kalla would be his running mate (the vice-presidential candidate) in the election, markets have been selling Indonesian assets since Monday afternoon.

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Both the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate and the country's benchmark stock index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) have strengthened significantly on Wednesday's trading day (14/05). The rupiah appreciated 0.76 percent to IDR 11,450 per US dollar by 15:00 local Jakarta time according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index. Meanwhile, the IHSG gained 1.09 percent to 4,975.13 by the same time. Main reason for this strong performance is the official declaration of the PDI-P to form a coalition with NasDem and PKB.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate continued its recent depreciating trend on Thursday (08/05). According to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the currency had depreciated 0.36 percent to IDR 11,619 per US dollar at 13:30 local Jakarta time. Apart from market participants' wait and see attitude ahead of results of Bank Indonesia's Board of Governors Meeting, which is held today and will inform whether the current benchmark interest rate of 7.50 percent will be maintained, increased concerns about exports to China also put pressure on the rupiah.

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On Wednesday morning (30/04), the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate had appreciated 0.11 percent to IDR 11,536 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index at 9:15 local Jakarta time. On Tuesday (29/04), Bank Indonesia's benchmark rupiah rate (Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate, abbreviated JISDOR) depreciated 0.18 percent to IDR 11,589 against the US dollar. Today's JISDOR will be released by the central bank of Indonesia around noon local Jakarta time.

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Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate appreciated 0.23 percent to IDR 11,603 per US dollar on Thursday (24/04). The currency's performance was particularly influenced by weak new US single-family homes sales. These sales fell more than expected and hit a five-month low in February 2014, implying that there is continued weakness in the US housing market. Meanwhile, US durable goods orders and US initial jobless claims, which will be released later today, are expected to be weak too.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate continued its recent weakening trend on Wednesday (23/04). Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia's currency had depreciated 1.12 percent to IDR 11,650 per US dollar at 12:45 local Jakarta time, its weakest level in two months. Reasons for this poor performance are weak Chinese manufacturing data, renewed concerns about Indonesia's wide current account deficit and ongoing political uncertainty after the fragmented outcome of Indonesia's 2014 parliamentary election.

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Most emerging currencies in Asia appreciated against the US dollar on Monday (07/04) as the 192,000 jobs that were added by US employers in March 2014 are believed to be too low to trigger an early interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve. The new jobs data did not meet expectation, particularly after the strong US private jobs report. Meanwhile, trading in Asia was subdued as China's financial markets were closed (due to the Qingming Festival also known as Tomb Sweeping Day).

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate moved rather sideways on Friday (04/04). Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the currency appreciated 0.06 percent to IDR 11,316 per US dollar. Most emerging Asian currencies tended to depreciate against the greenback as the market is waiting for US unemployment data, released later today. Overall, market participants remain confident in Indonesia's economic fundamentals as inflation eased to 7.32 percent (yoy) in March, while the country posted a trade surplus of USD $785 million in February.

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The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) experienced a mixed week. At the start of the week, the index rose, but towards the end of the week it weakened, although ending in the green on Friday. Recently, the IHSG has hit record levels, and this makes market participants worried that the index might fall in case there emerge negative market sentiments. These concerns are what made the index turn away from the next psychological boundary: 5,000 points.

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On Thursday 4 April 2013, market players were hoping that the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) would climb beyond the psychological level of 5,000. However, the presence of negative market sentiments - and the overbought condition of the IHSG - were used as reasons to engage in profit taking. It consequently pushed down Indonesia's main financial market indicator to the level of 4,922.61, an 1.18 percent fall compared to Wednesday's trading day.

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Despite positive results of monthly US Factory Orders and Economic Optimism, it did not support Asian stock markets up to the end of Wednesday's trading day. The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG), on the other hand, maintained its upward movement to reach 4,981.47, a 0.49 percent gain. Matters that supported the IHSG's performance to yet another new record high level, were well-received 2012 company reports as well as expected dividend payouts.

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Usually, news about inflation is not well-received by market participants. Particularly when inflation turns out to be higher than expected. This time, however, something interesting happened in Indonesia. Although the country's March inflation rate was high (5.90 percent year-on-year), it was not followed up by a negative response of market players. In fact, the inflation rate seems to have strengthened the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG), which gained 0.40 percent on Tuesday.

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With a number of important global stock exchanges still closed due to Easter, it seemed that the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) lacked a reference point to which it could cling. It is also likely that market participants have already consumed most of the 2012 corporate company reports and are therefore not waiting for new data of listed companies. Moreover, today's announcement of the relative high inflation rate of March did not support the IHSG either.

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Yesterday, Statistics Indonesia (BPS), a non-departmental government institution, released Indonesia's export and import numbers of February 2013. Indonesia's imports reached US $15.32 billion, while its exports stood at US $14.99 billion. It has thus resulted in the continuation of a trade deficit (US $327.4 million). For Indonesia, which always reported trade surpluses until last year, it is a worrying scenario as the trade deficit and higher inflation put pressure on the IDR rupiah.

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Current Finance minister Agus Martowardojo is approved by Indonesia's Parliament (DPR) to replace Darmin Nasution as governor of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) in May 2013. Martowardojo, who has been active in banking for over two decades and had a successful term as head of state-controlled Bank Mandiri, was finance minister since May 2010 after taking over from Sri Mulyani, who was pressured out of Indonesian politics.

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Not only the upward movement of most Asian stock markets, but also a number of positive company reports (regarding corporate performances of 2012) supported the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) to reach a new record-high level of 4,928.10 on Wednesday, implying an 1.77% increase compared to the previous trading day. Moreover, American and European stock markets had ended higher on Tuesday due to positive data, thus discarding turmoil related to Cyprus.

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After speculation began to spread that an agreement would be reached between Cyprus and Troika (made up of the European Union, the European Central Bank and the IMF), Asian stock markets went up, including the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG). Despite foreigners' appetite for selling Indonesian assets, the index rose as it was lifted by domestic market participants' appetite for purchasing those stocks that experienced a fall on the previous trading day.

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The rise of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) at the start of today's session was not sustained. It disappointed market participants who were hoping that Indonesia's main index would continue its upward movement supported by strengthening American and European stock indices after it became known that Cyprus will stay in the Euro-zone and the Federal Reserve will continue its bond-buying program.

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