Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.
Latest Reports Inflation
On Sunday 5 May 2024 Indonesia Investments released the April 2024 edition of its monthly report. As usual, the report zooms in on topics - relevant in the month of April 2024 - that affect the investment environment of Indonesia.
Over the past couple of months we have often expressed our concern over inflation in Indonesia, particularly low core inflation as it could signal that purchasing power is quite weak. In February 2024 we finally saw some inflationary pressures again in Indonesia with a 0.37 percent month-on-month (m/m) inflation rate.
On Tuesday 5 March 2024 Indonesia Investments released the February 2024 edition of its monthly report. The report focuses on the most important economic, political and social developments in Indonesia in the month of February 2024.
On Sunday (04.02.2024) Indonesia Investments released the January 2024 edition of its monthly report. The report offers analyses of various economic, political and social topics that are relevant in the present.
On Friday 5 January 2024 Indonesia Investments released the December 2023 edition of its monthly report. The report informs readers on the latest -and in our opinion most relevant- economic, political and social developments in Indonesia.
Interestingly enough, November was the month that – so far – brought the biggest inflationary pressures to Indonesia in 2023. The latest data published by Indonesia’s Statistical Office (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS) showed that headline inflation reached 0.38 percent month-on-month (m/m) in November 2023, higher than expected.
On Tuesday 5 December 2023 Indonesia Investments released the November 2023 edition of its monthly report. The report informs readers on the latest - and in our opinion most relevant - economic, political and social developments in Indonesia.
Inflationary pressures in October 2023 were in line with our expectations. Based on the latest data from Indonesia’s Statistical Office (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS), Indonesia’s headline inflation was recorded at a rate of 0.17 percent month-on-month (m/m) in October 2023. On an annual basis, inflation accelerated to 2.56 percent year-on-year (y/y), up from 2.28 percent (y/y) in September 2023.
On Sunday 5 November 2023 Indonesia Investments released the October 2023 edition of its monthly report. The report informs readers on the latest - and in our opinion most relevant - economic, political and social developments in Indonesia.
As expected, inflationary pressures increased on a month-on-month (m/m) basis in September 2023. However, on a year-on-year (y/y) basis, Indonesian inflation eased quite significantly as the impact of the subsidized fuel price hike in September 2022 is now removed from the data. Based on the data from Indonesia’s Statistical Office (BPS), Indonesia’s headline inflation decelerated to a rate of 2.28 percent (y/y).
Latest Columns Inflation
Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) moved wildly last week. During the first two days of the week, the index fell to 4,609.95 points, which is considerably below its record high level of 5,214 on 20 May 2013. However, on the last trading day of the week (14/06), a 3.32 percent recovery occurred. Generally, it were domestic market participants that supported the IHSG. Foreign market participants continued to sell parts of their Indonesian stock portfolios. Total foreign selling totaled IDR 9 trillion (USD $910.4 million) last week.
On Friday (14/06), the main stock index of Indonesia (IHSG) jumped 3.32 percent to 4,760.74 points as financial market participants were optimistic about the effects of the higher central bank interest rate that was announced the day before. Moreover, Indonesia's IHSG was supported by a green wave across Asian stock markets, which was partly due to a strong rebound in markets in the United States on Thursday (13/06). Stocks in Indonesia's banking and property sectors were the top-gainers on Friday's trading day.
On Thursday (13/06), Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) could not continue the recovery it had shown on the previous day. The index fell 1.92% to 4,607.66 points amid international and domestic concerns. Investors are worried about central banks' policies and the World Bank's downgrade of global economic growth in 2013. On the domestic side, negative sentiments were brought on by the fuel subsidy issue (and its inflationary impact), the weakening rupiah, the BI rate hike, falling foreign exchange reserves, and the trade deficit.
Less than 24 hours after having raised the overnight deposit facility rate (known as Fasbi) by 25 bps to 4.25 percent, Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) also raised its benchmark interest rate (known as the BI rate) by 25 bps to 6.0 percent. Both these policy responses were conducted in order to support the IDR rupiah, which is one of the worst performing Asian currencies against the US dollar in 2013. Indonesia's central bank expects growing inflationary pressures as the Indonesian government intends to cut fuel subsidies this June.
Despite continued foreign selling of Indonesian stocks on today's trading day (12/06), we see that there is an end in sight to the sell of. During the last three days, Indonesia's main index (IHSG) had fallen considerably. The fall was led by the big cap companies that generally are target of most foreign investment. As stock prices of these companies had experienced a free fall in previous days, it made them attractive for limited buying. However, negative sentiments that have coloured the stock market recently, have not waned yet.
On the very last trading day of May (31/05), Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) closed at 5,068.63 points. During the month, the index showed a volatile performance as it reached its peak at 5,251.29 and its low at 4,907.59 points. Overall, the IHSG continued to rise in May despite various negative sentiments. Foreign investors recorded a net sell of IDR 7.9 trillion (USD $806.12 million). However, optimistic domestic investors kept Indonesia's index in the green zone.
In the first five months of 2013, Indonesia’s main stock index (IHSG) rose 16.62 percent to a near record high level at 5,068.63 points on Friday (31/05/13). Initially, both analysts and investors were concerned that Indonesia would experience its traditional ‘May Cycle’, the term which refers to the usual fall of Indonesia’s index in the month of May. However, reality proved different as the index recorded a small gain of 7.71 points (0.15 percent) last month.
Asian stock markets were mixed on Thursday (30/05). Particularly Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HSI) was negatively influenced by Wednesday's falling stock indices in Europe and the USA. In this context, Indonesia's main index (IHSG) was hit as well and fell 1.37 percent to 5,129.65 points. Moreover, the continuing decline of the IDR rupiah makes market participants less enthusiastic to purchase Indonesian stocks. Foreigners were also anxious to sell part of their stock portfolios.
Throughout the month of May, the level of volatility of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) has been remarkable and interesting. At the start of the month we were shocked by Standard & Poor's downgrade of Indonesia's credit rating outlook as well as Moody's warning to take similar measures as Indonesia had been slow to deal with its subsidized fuel policy. These issues were able to drag the index down. Moreover, the threat of higher inflation triggers concerns that the index would show its traditional fall in the month of May.
Although Indonesia’s government stresses the need to relieve pressure on the state budget (by raising the price of subsidized fuel next month), it plans to allocate an additional IDR 16.1 trillion (USD $1.65 billion) to this year’s fuel subsidy budget. The additional allocation, which covers fuel, LPG and vegetable fuels, will raise government expenditure on fuel subsidies to IDR 209.9 trillion (USD $21.50 billion) from the IDR 193.8 trillion drafted in the original 2013 state budget (APBN 2013). Total energy subsidies will grow to IDR 309.9 trillion this year.
