• Bappenas: Indonesian Inflation Rate Can Be Kept Below 6% in 2014

    Minister of National Development Planning (Bappenas) Armida Alisjahbana is optimistic that Indonesia's inflation rate will stay below the six percent mark in 2014. After seeing inflation ease to 7.75 percent (year-on-year) in February (from 8.22 percent in January), Alisjahbana in fact believes that inflation can be kept below 5.5 percent (just within the target range of Bank Indonesia). Limited inflation is important in the context of poverty eradication. The country's poverty rate is targeted to ease to 10.5 by the year-end.

    Read more ›

  • Reducing Poverty Through Indonesia's National Medium Term Plan

    The government of Indonesia targets economic growth rates in the range of six to eight percent per year in the period 2015 to 2019. By the end of this period, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita should reach around USD $7,000. According to Minister of National Development Planning (Bappenas) Armida Alisjahbana, if these targets are met then Indonesia can escape from the middle income trap by 2019. The middle income trap occurs when growth stagnates after reaching middle income levels.

    Read more ›

  • Indonesia's Largest Trading Partner China Targets 7.5% GDP Growth in 2014

    Based on the annual work report that China's Premier Li Keqiang delivered in the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) in Bejing, China targets economic growth of 7.5 percent in 2014. This modest but stable growth should ensure sufficient availability of jobs. Keqiang also hinted at government efforts to reduce the level of pollution as well as credit expansion. furthermore, the country's targets for inflation and money supply are also in accordance with predictions. Last year, China's GDP expanded by 7.7 percent.

    Read more ›

  • Who Are the Richest Indonesians? Forbes March 2014 Rich List Released

    Forbes magazine, an American business magazine, released its latest updated 'Indonesian rich list' on Tuesday (04/03), containing the names of those Indonesians that are assessed as the country's wealthiest people. Combined, the top ten of richest Indonesians hold USD $35.5 billion, which is roughly equal to one-third of Indonesia's total foreign exchange reserves at the end of February 2014, or, four percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2013 (USD $878 billion).

    Read more ›