Pada Mei 2015 Pemerintah Indonesia akan menawarkan keringanan pajak pada perusahaan-perusahaan yang mengekspor minimal 30% dari produksi mereka. Pada awal bulan ini, Presiden Indonesia Joko Widodo menandatangani sebuah paket kebijakan yang mencakup keringanan pajak untuk para eksportir dan juga keringanan pajak untuk perusahaan-perusahaan multinational yang bersedia mereinvestasi keuntungan di Indonesia daripada mengirimkan keuntungan dan dividen kepada para pemegang saham di luar negeri. Paket ini didesain untuk memperbaiki neraca perdagangan Indonesia (dan neraca transaksi berjalan).

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In line with other Asian emerging market currencies, the Indonesian rupiah is depreciating against the US dollar on Monday’s trading day (20/04). According to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia’s currency had depreciated 0.25 percent to IDR 12,882 per US dollar at 13:00 pm local Jakarta time. However, Head of Research at NH Korindo Securities Reza Priyambada believes that the currency cannot depreciate much further as positive economic data provides enough support for the rupiah.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects that the country’s current account deficit has eased to 1.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of 2015. This estimate is lower than the institution’s initial forecast of 2 percent of GDP. Main reason for this more optimistic view is that Indonesia experienced a USD $2.43 billion trade surplus in the first quarter of 2015. Particularly the unexpectedly-wide USD $1.13 billion trade surplus in March will manage to ease pressures on the country’s current account.

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Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Wednesday (15/04) that Indonesia posted a USD $1.13 billion trade surplus in March 2015, the country’s fourth straight monthly trade surplus, and almost twice the size that analysts had forecast earlier. Despite the monthly trade surplus being good news, data also showed that both Indonesian exports and imports contracted. Exports were down 9.8 percent (y/y) to USD $13.71 billion in March, while imports fell 13.4 percent (y/y) to USD $12.58 billion.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) decided to maintain its key interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent at Tuesday’s Board of Governors’ Meeting (14 April 2015). The institution also left its deposit facility and lending facility at 5.50 percent and 8.00 percent, respectively. Bank Indonesia considers this level to be effective in order to push the country’s inflation rate back into its target range of 3-5 percent (y/y) in both 2015 and 2016. It is also convinced that this interest rate environment will improve the current account balance.

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Saham di Indonesia dan nilai tukar rupiah menguat tajam pada hari Kamis (19/03) setelah Federal Reserve menunda menaikkan suku bunga acuannya dalam Pertemuan Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) selama dua hari yang berakhir pada hari Rabu (18/03) karena inflasi Amerika Serikat (AS) masih rendah sedangkan pertumbuhan ekonomi AS sedikit melambat. Bank sentral AS menberikan sinyal bahwa Fed tidak terburu-buru untuk menaikkan suku bunga acuannya. Di sisi lain, Fed juga menghapuskan kata 'sabar' dari panduannya untuk suku bunga (yang berada dalam posisi paling rendah sejak akhir 2008).

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Bank Sentral Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) memutuskan untuk tetap menjaga suku bunga acuannya pada 7,5% sebagai hasil keputusan pertemuan Dewan Gubernur Bank Indonesia (BI) yang dilakukan hari ini. Suku bunga overnight deposit facility dan suku bunga lending facility dipertahankan masing-masing 5,5% dan 8%. BI menganggap bahwa kondisi suku bunga saat ini sesuai dengan targetnya untuk mendorong inflasi ke dalam target antara 3,0% sampai 5,0% dalam basis year on year (y/y) di tahun 2015 dan mengurangi defisit neraca transaksi berjalan Indonesia antara 2,5% sampai 3,0% dari produk domestik bruto (PDB).

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Setelah serangkaian data ekonomi yang baik (terutama data tenaga kerja di Amerika Serikat) pasar menduga Federal Reserve akan menaikkan tingkat suku bunganya pada kuartal kedua atau ketiga tahun ini dan karenanya dollar Amerika Serikat (AS) dapat bullish momentum (hampir menjadi posisi tertinggi selama 11 tahun terakhir). Karena prediksi yield yang lebih tinggi di AS, modal kembali masuk ke negara dengan ekonomi terbesar di dunia ini. Pada saat yang sama, hal ini menimbulkan kerugian besar pada mata uang di negara-negara berkembang, termasuk nilai tukar rupiah yang turun 6% terhadap dollar AS pada tahun ini.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects that the country’s trade balance will show a USD $500 million surplus in February 2015 on the back of increased manufacturing exports, the higher price of crude palm oil, and lower oil imports. In January, Indonesia’s trade balance recorded a USD $710 million surplus, divided into a USD $748 million surplus in the non-oil & gas trade balance and a USD $38.6 million deficit in the oil & gas trade balance.

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Di Indonesia, lampu sorot tetap tajam terfokus pada pelemahan drastis rupiah. Karena semakin berkembangnya spekulasi bahwa US Federal Reserve akan segera menaikkan tingkat suku bunga pinjamannya, aset-aset pasar berkembang (baik mata uang maupun saham) cenderung melemah. Walau sebagian besar mata uang Asia melemah terhadap dolar Amerika Serikat (AS), rupiah lebih rentan karena Indonesia sedang mengalami defisit transaksi berjalan yang besar. Hal ini menginformasikan kepada para investor bahwa negara ini bergantung pada capital inflows dari negara-negara asing.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate continued its good performance on Friday (07/03) as it had appreciated 0.49 percent to IDR 11,425 per US dollar at 14:22 local Jakarta time based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. The currency rose for a fifth consecutive week. Main reasons for this good performance are the improving global economy as well as the improving economy of Indonesia. Foreign funds are again entering Indonesia as investors have renewed confidence in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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Indonesian Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said that the government is currently engaged in preparing a third economic policy package that aims to reduce the country's current account deficit. In August and December 2013, the government had already implemented two policy reform packages as Indonesia's wide current account deficit and high inflation in combination with the looming end of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program led to large capital outflows, thus resulting in sharp rupiah depreciation.

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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 central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) believes that the USD $430 million trade deficit that was recorded in January 2014 is a normal result taking into account the implementation of the ban on exports of unprocessed minerals (which reduces exports of materials such as copper and nickel) and seasonal trends as exports are always lower in January than in December due the end of winter peak demand for raw materials and ongoing contractual negotiations at the beginning of each year.

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The rate of Indonesian inflation eased in February 2014. Inflation decelerated in February 2014 to 0.26 percent (month-to-month) or 7.75 percent (year-on-year), down from the previous month at 1.07 percent (mtm) or 8.22 percent (yoy) respectively. The drop in the inflation rate is attributable to central and local government policy taken to minimize the second-round effects of recent natural disasters, thereby bringing the inflation of volatile foods in the reporting month to just 0.32 percent (mtm) or 9.85 percent (yoy).

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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 central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) is optimistic that the country's currency will continue to appreciate against the US dollar in the first quarter of 2014. Executive Director at the Economic and Monetary Policy Department of Bank Indonesia Juda Agung said that there are two factors that impact positively on the performance of the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate: the improved global economy and strengthening domestic economic fundamentals. However, Agung declined to estimate the value of the rupiah by the end of Q1-2014.

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Foreign confidence in Indonesia's capital markets seems to be growing further after foreign investors continued to expand their stock portfolios last week. In February 2014 (up to Friday 21/02), foreigners purchased IDR 36.0 trillion (USD $3.1 billion) worth of stocks and sold IDR 29.3 trillion (USD $2.5 billion), resulting in net foreign buying of 6.7 trillion (USD $570.2 million) in the first three weeks of February 2014. When foreign net buying of January 2014 is added, total net foreign buying reached IDR 9.0 trillion (USD $766.0 million).

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As we have explained before, a significant amount of market participants will engage in profit taking after a day (or in this case a number of days) of gain. Mixed sentiments originating from the Asian continent, particularly Japan and China, as well as the depreciating Indonesian rupiah exchange rate contributed to the slight gain of Indonesia's benchmark index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG). The IHSG rose 0.02 percent to 4,556.19 points on Tuesday (18/02).

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The Jakarta Composite Index (Indonesia's benchmark stock index, also known as IHSG) continued its upward rally on Monday (17/02) even though it had concerned us that the index almost touched its 'overbought' level. Especially as the index posted limited gain by the end of last week, it made us unsure about its performance on Monday. And while there are several factors that caused positive market sentiments, we still warn for potential weakening of the index due to profit taking. On Monday (17/02), the IHSG rose 1.05% to 4,555.37 points.

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