Global Stock Markets Diving, Bearish Omen for Indonesian Stocks & Rupiah
Global markets declined for a fifth straight day on Thursday (24/09) on persistent negative sentiments related to sluggish global economic growth, the Volkswagen emission scandal and the continuation of uncertainty about the timing of higher US interest rates after the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged at its September policy meeting. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index fell 2.76 percent today, while European and US stocks are deep in the red. Indonesian markets were closed due to Idul Adha celebrations (the Muslim day of sacrifice) and will therefore respond to these developments on Friday (25/09).
As such - unless Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen will share remarkable information during her speech later today at the University of Massachusetts - it is expected that Indonesian stocks and the rupiah will experience a weak opening tomorrow.
On Wall Street shares of Caterpillar plunged six percent, touching a five-year low, as its 2015 revenue forecast was cut by USD $1 billion amid weak conditions in the mining and energy sectors (and this could lead to 10,000 jobs being lost up to 2018). Meanwhile, negative effects brought about by the Volkswagen emission scandal (it cheated on diesel-emissions tests) spread to European and US car makers. For example, BMW, Renault, Fiat, Daimler, General Motors, and Ford Motor all saw its share prices tumble today, dragging down European indices.
Japanese shares plummeted on Thursday after a three-day holiday as preliminary results show that a sharp drop in export orders occurred (possibly the result of China’s economic slowdown).
On Wednesday (23/09), Bank Indonesia's benchmark rupiah rate (Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate, abbreviated JISDOR) depreciated 0.95 percent to IDR 14,623 per US dollar, a fresh 17-year low. So far this year the rupiah has depreciated 17.5 percent against the greenback, making it the second-worst performing Asian currency (after Malaysia’s ringgit) in 2015.
Indonesian Rupiah versus US Dollar (JISDOR):
| Source: Bank IndonesiaMeanwhile, Indonesia’s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index has fallen 18.8 percent since the start of the year, thus being the worst-performing national benchmark stock index among Asian countries.
Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG):