• Government of Indonesia Preparing 2016 Infrastructure Projects

    Although Indonesian President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo pledged to boost infrastructure development across Indonesia, government spending on infrastructure projects was sluggish during his first year in office due to budgetary and organizational reforms (including cutting the energy subsidies). A positive sign, however, is that government spending on infrastructure development and the number of groundbreaking ceremonies for infrastructure projects rose in the second half of 2015 as reforms were completed.

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  • Indonesian Tire Sales to Remain Sluggish in 2016

    Growth of Indonesia's tire industry is expected to remain stagnant until at least the last quarter of 2016 as people's purchasing power is weak while the circulation of money is slow amid sluggish economic growth. Domestic sales of tires in Indonesia are expected to reach around 8.25 million tires in full-year 2016. Meanwhile, about 30 million tires are expected to be exported next year. As such, Indonesia's total tire sales are projected to reach around 38 million in 2016.

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  • Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board Eyes 594.8 trln Investment in 2016

    The Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), the central government's investment service agency, said foreign direct investment (FDI) is projected to account for 65 percent - or IDR 386.6 trillion (approx. USD $28.2 billion) - of total direct investment in Indonesia in 2016. The BKPM sees domestic direct investment realization next year at IDR 208.4 trillion. As such, in total, direct investment realization in Indonesia is estimated at IDR 594.8 trillion (approx. USD $43.4 billion) in 2016.

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  • Challenges for Indonesia's Economy to Persist in 2016

    With the year 2015 coming to an end, it is worthwhile to take a look at the challenges that Indonesia faced this year and whether these challenges will remain in 2016. In short, we believe that the current external challenges persist into the new year. Although the country's economic growth is projected to accelerate to 5.3 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2016 from an estimated 4.7 percent (y/y) in 2015 (the fifth consecutive year of slowing gross domestic growth expansion), this growth is primarily caused by improved government spending.

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