• Smoking in Indonesia: Government’s Mixed Tobacco Control Policies

    The number of smokers in Indonesia continues to rise from year to year. Based on the latest data from Basic Health Research (Riset Kesehatan Dasar) a total of 58.8 million Indonesians aged over ten years smoked in 2013, more than ten times the population of neighbouring Singapore. In one year, these smokers lit around 225 billion cigarettes making Indonesia the third-largest tobacco consumer after China and India. More alarming, about four million of these Indonesian smokers are children between the age of 10 to 14 years.

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  • Indonesian Stock Market & Rupiah Update - Morning Trade 3 June 2015

    In line with other stock indices in Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index) has been weakening since the start of trading on Wednesday (03/06). Yesterday’s weakening indices on Wall Street, concern about rising bond yields, worries about the possibility of a default by debt-ridden Greece, and weak macroeconomic data from Indonesia have all contributed to the negative performance of Indonesian stocks so far today. By 11:15 am local time, the Jakarta Composite Index had fallen 1.42 percent.

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  • Nearly 20 Million Indonesians still Plagued by Hunger

    Currently there are still 19.4 million Indonesians suffering from hunger each day, or, one-third of an estimated 60 million people that suffer from hunger in Southeast Asia. The figures are results of research conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Mark Smulders, FAO Representative in Indonesia, said that there remains much work to be done. The priority of the FAO is to create ‘Generation Zero Hunger’ and to ensure that Indonesians get enough nutrition to live a productive and healthy life.

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  • Manufacturing in Indonesia Weakens for 8th Straight Month in May

    Although improving slightly, Indonesia's manufacturing activity contracted for the 8th straight month in May 2015. The HSBC Markit purchasing manager’s index (PMI) rose to 47.1 in May from 46.7 in the preceding month (a score below 50 indicates contraction in manufacturing activity). The survey indicated that output, new orders and employment remained weak. This feeds expectation that a sudden improvement in Indonesian manufacturing in the near term is highly unlikely. On a positive note, output and new orders fell at weaker rates.

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