Indonesian Stocks Rebound on Foreign Buying but Rupiah Falls
Indonesian stocks rebounded on Tuesday (16/06). The country’s benchmark Jakarta Composite Index rose 0.72 percent to 4,872.60 points supported by foreign net buying and rebounding from yesterday’s 13-month low position. Middle and longer term investors now have great opportunity to find stocks at bargain prices (particularly those stocks that are not too exposed to the weakening rupiah). However, trading volume was low at about 60 percent of the past 30-day average thus indicating that market participants remain wary.
Investors remain wary because of looming higher US interest rates (today the Federal Reserve starts its two-day policy meeting) as well as uncertainty about the Greek debt crisis in the Eurozone.
Foreign investors bought shares worth a net IDR 199.8 billion (roughly USD $15 million) after having mostly sold Indonesian stocks in nearly every session in June.
Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG):
Meanwhile, the Indonesian rupiah depreciated 0.17 percent to IDR 13,348 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index. Apart from the aforementioned factors (Greece and the Federal Reserve), market participants are also waiting for results of the policy meeting of Indonesia’s central bank (scheduled for Thursday 18 June 2015). It is expected that the central bank will not alter its interest rate regime yet as Indonesia's inflation has accelerated to 7.15 percent (y/y) in May 2015.
Bank Indonesia's benchmark rupiah rate (Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate, abbreviated JISDOR) stayed at IDR 13,333 per US dollar on Tuesday (16/06).
Indonesian Rupiah versus US Dollar (JISDOR):
| Source: Bank Indonesia