• Why are Indonesian Stocks & Rupiah Flat on Tuesday?

    In line with most Southeast Asian stock markets and currencies, Indonesian stocks and the rupiah were rather flat with a tendency to weaken slightly on Tuesday (17/02). Most investors seem to avoid trading in this short trading week (On Thursday 19 February markets will be closed due to Chinese New Year celebrations). Moreover, market participants in Indonesia are waiting for the central bank’s interest rate decision later today. Lastly, failed talks between Greece and its creditors on Monday dented sentiment across Asia.

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  • HM Sampoerna to Increase Free Float on Indonesia Stock Exchange

    HM Sampoerna, Indonesia's largest tobacco producer by market capitalization (controlling about 23 percent of the Indonesian tobacco market), plans to increase its free-float shares by 5.68 percent (valued at USD $1.27 billion) in order to meet the minimum free float requirement of 7.5 percent set by the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in a regulation introduced in January 2014 and which will come into effect on 30 January 2016. By this date all listed companies on the IDX must have a minimum free float of 7.5 percent.

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  • Trade Balance Indonesia: Import and Export Fall in January 2015

    Indonesia posted a USD $709.4 million trade surplus in January 2015 according to the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) released on Monday (16/02). Although the surplus is higher than expected and thus has a positive impact on the country’s trade and current account balances, the data also indicated that exports fell 8.09 percent year-on-year (y/y) to USD $13.30 billion signalling continued weakening global demand for Indonesian exports. Meanwhile, Indonesian imports shrank by 15.6 percent (y/y) to USD $12.59 billion.

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  • Indonesia - Australia Diplomatic Relations Strained by Executions

    Tony Abbott, Prime Minister of Australia, said that a diplomatic fallout may occur between Australia and Indonesia if the latter sticks to its plan to execute two Australian citizens who are on death row in Indonesia on drug charges. On several occasions the Australian government requested for clemency but these requests were rejected by Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Widodo takes a tough stance on drug-related crimes as the spread of forbidden substances jeopardizes people’s health in Indonesia.

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