Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.
Latest Reports Inflation
On Sunday (04 May 2025) Indonesia Investments released the April 2025 edition of its monthly report. The report zooms in on a selection of developments that were relevant in the month of April 2025.
As expected, Indonesian consumer prices rebounded in March 2025 after Southeast Asia’s largest economy had experienced two straight months of significant deflation in January and February 2025 (see table 1).
Indonesia started 2025 with two straights months of deflation. And, again, this was not a real surprise as the 50 percent electricity rate discount for households up to 2,200 VA still applied in February 2025.
Indonesia began 2025 with a month of steep deflation. In January 2025, the headline deflation rate of Indonesia hit 0.76 percent month-on-month (m/m). It is a monthly decline we have not seen since the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crisis.
On Tuesday 4 February 2025, Indonesia Investments released the January 2025 edition of its monthly report. This report discusses key political, economic and social developments that unfolded in Indonesia in the month of January 2025.
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) made a surprising move on Wednesday (15 January 2025) by cutting its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 5.75 percent.
As expected, Indonesian inflation remained relatively low in December 2024, at 0.44 percent month-on-month (m/m), amid the year-end holiday season (Christmas and New Year celebrations).
On Friday 03 January 2025, Indonesia Investments released the December 2024 edition of its monthly report. The report presents a selection of subjects (related to the economy and politics of Indonesia) that were relevant in December 2024.
After a six-month period of either deflation or very low inflation (all driven by easing food prices), the month of November finally brought some more significant inflation to Indonesia as we approach the end of 2024 (meaning: arrival of the festive season).
Between May and September 2024, Indonesia had experienced a (remarkable) five-month deflation streak, driven by contracting food prices. And so, we were certainly quite interested in the latest consumer price index (CPI) data that were released by the Statistical Office of Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS) on 1 November 2024.
Latest Columns Inflation
The decision of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) to raise its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 7.00 percent and its deposit facility (Fasbi) by 0.50 percent to 5.25 percent seem to have had a good impact on the value of Indonesia's stocks and the rupiah. Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) rose 2.23 percent to 4,195.09 points on Friday (30/08), implying a three-day winning streak. Since the first trading day of this year, the IHSG is down 3.47 percent.
For the second day in a row Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) was able to post a gain. Today, it rose 1.92 percent to 4,103.59 points. This rebound is possibly the result of the higher key interest rate. Yesterday, it was announced that the central bank (Bank Indonesia) scheduled an extra meeting to discuss monetary policy. Immediately speculation emerged that the BI rate might be raised by 50 basis points. And indeed it was raised, much to the liking of many investors and analysts.
The government of Indonesia has revised the macroeconomic assumptions that are stated in the State Budgets (APBN) of 2013 and 2014 after a meeting with the budgetary body of the House of Representatives (Badan Anggaran DPR) on Wednesday (28/08). It is the third time that the 2013 State Budget has been revised in order to put it more in line with recent global developments. As the government was also too optimistic when drafting the 2014 Budget, it felt the need for a revision (only 12 days after the announcement of the Budget).
Although Indonesia is one of the victims of the reversal of investment flows from emerging markets to developed markets, it is still far from a crisis. Global uncertainty regarding the possible ending of the Federal Reserve's monthly USD $85 billion bond-buying program (QE3) and, to a lesser extent, the possible invasion of the US in Syria have worried investors and resulted in the withdrawal of funds from emerging markets. Funds are flowing back to western developed countries that have recently been showing signs of continued economic recovery.
Indonesia's current account deficit, which caused much alarm among the investor community, is expected to ease to about 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the second half of 2013. This assumption is supported by Indonesia's central bank and various analysts. The country's current account deficit reached USD $9.8 billion or 4.4 percent of GDP in Q2-2013. In combination with the weakening rupiah, higher inflation and the possible end to the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program, investors have been pulling money out of Indonesia.
After market participants had time in the weekend to think over the 'rescue packages' of the Indonesian government and central bank (Bank Indonesia) that were released on Friday (23/08), they seemed unconvinced about the short-term impact of the packages. As a result, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) fell 1.18 percent to 4,120.67 points on Monday (26/08), which is the IHSG's lowest level since 7 September 2012. The Indonesian rupiah gained 0.06 percent to IDR 10,841 (Bank Indonesia's mid rate).
Despite the announcement of an economic policy package aimed at overcoming the impact of global financial turmoil, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) was not able to end the week on a positive note, while the value of the rupiah on the spot market depreciated 1.68 percent to IDR 11,058 per US dollar on Friday (23/08) amid a majority of strengthening Asian currencies, including the Indian rupee (0.67 percent) and the Thai baht (0.28 percent). Based on Bank Indonesia's mid rate, the rupiah fell 4.4 percent against the US dollar to IDR 10,848 last week.
Similar to the Indonesian government, Indonesia's central bank also announced a fiscal policy package to support sustainable nationwide economic growth by curbing inflation, maintaining a more sustainable balance of payments as well as strengthening financial system stability. These additional policies are expected to synergise with the policy package unveiled by the government on Friday (23/08). These measures were taken as both the rupiah and Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) are in a downward spiral.
Today's release of the economic rescue package was not able to put Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) into green territory. Also, the Indonesian rupiah maintained its losing streak. The IHSG fell 0.04 percent to 4,169.83 points. Interestingly enough, the IHSG was rising previous to the release of the package. After the release, however, it started to weaken slightly, which seems to indicate that market participants were a bit disappointed with the contents of the package as it contained no quick fixes to the economy.
As had been announced previously, today (23/08) the government of Indonesia released an 'emergency plan' that aims to improve the financial sector while restoring confidence in the country's fundamentals as turmoil emerged on Indonesia's stock exchange, bonds market and the rupiah. Economic minister Hatta Rajasa said that this plan consists of four packages. These four packages cover the current account deficit, rupiah performance, economic growth, purchasing power, inflation and investments.
