The Today's Headlines section of Indonesia Investments is a regularly updated section which contains the latest information with regard to topics that are currently causing headlines in Indonesia's media. Most of our headlines cover political, economic and social matters. As a consequence of their recent nature, these topics may not have crystallized fully yet and can, therefore, lack a profound analysis. For publications with a more in-depth understanding of subjects, we refer you to our News, Financial or Business columns.
Fitch Ratings, one of the globe's big three credit rating agencies, decided to upgrade Indonesia's long-term foreign- and local-currency issuer default ratings (IDR) to BBB (with a stable outlook), from BBB- previously. What influenced Fitch Ratings' decision?
Like in most other nations across the world, Indonesia is also experiencing rapid urbanization. Currently, 56 percent of the Indonesian population lives in urban areas (at the start of the century - in 2000 - the figure was 42 percent). Although urbanization is - in theory - an engine of economic growth, Indonesia is not reaping the full benefits of urbanization.
So far in 2017 a total of 35 companies have conducted an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, the best result in recent history. Meanwhile, Samsul Hidayat, Director of Corporate Listing at the Indonesia Stock Exchange, said one more trading debut is expected to occur before the end of the year, to wit Jasa Armada Indonesia.
Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index finished at the new all-time high of 6,167.67 points on Tuesday (19/12), up 0.54 percent from the preceding day. Meanwhile, the Indonesian rupiah appreciated 0.04 percent to IDR 13,576 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index).
