Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.
Latest Reports COVID-19
The Indonesian rupiah rate, which had been under extreme pressure amid the start of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis in March 2020, rebounded in April 2020 and continued this rebound throughout May 2020 (albeit at a less impressive pace).
As expected, Indonesia’s manufacturing activity contracted again in May 2020, albeit at a slightly slower pace. The latest IHS Markit Indonesia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (or PMI) rose to a reading of 28.6 points in May 2020, up from the all-time low of 27.5 in April 2020. A reading below 50.0 indicates contraction in the country’s manufacturing activity, while a reading above 50.0 indicates expansion.
Indonesia’s inflation rate was unusually mild in May 2020. According to the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the country’s consumer price index (CPI) stood at 0.07 percent month-on-month (m/m) only.
Most companies and industries have been under huge pressure since the Indonesian government imposed a range of restrictions (specifically on people’s movement and business activities) in an effort to curb the further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As most companies experience a massive decline in sales, it has become difficult for these companies to finance their operating costs and expenses. And, the longer the restrictions last, the bigger companies’ financial burdens become.
On Wednesday (03/06/2020) Indonesia Investments released the May 2020 edition of its monthly report. In this edition, titled 'in the Eye of the Storm', we focus specifically on the social implications of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis on Indonesian society. Hence, unemployment and poverty are two topics that deserve specific attention.
Last month we basically came to the conclusion that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has a direct (short-term) positive effect on Indonesia’s trade performance (although the longer term consequences are clearly negative) as Indonesia managed to boost exports (possibly because it filled the gap left by China’s lockdown), while imports into Indonesia fell markedly (partly because of the lower need for inputs for export-oriented output), thus leading to a comfortable trade surplus.
For Muslims the holy fasting month (Ramadan) and subsequent Eid al-Fitr (Idul Fitri or Lebaran) festivities – the traditional week-long national holiday when Muslims celebrate the end of the Ramadan month – are very special and joyful times.
On Monday 20 April 2020 the Investment Coordinating Board (in Indonesian: Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal, or BKPM), a government agency, released the latest direct investment data, involving foreign and domestic direct investment in the first quarter of 2020.
Never before did Indonesia’s manufacturing activity collapse so badly in the nine-year history of the IHS Markit Indonesia Manufacturing PMI than in April 2020. The IHS Markit Indonesia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) plunged to a reading of 27.5 in April 2020 (from 45.3 in the preceding month). It is not only the steepest fall but also the lowest level of operating conditions ever touched since the survey started back in April 2011.
As expected, Indonesia’s inflation rate was quite low in April 2020. According to the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the consumer price index (CPI) stood at 0.08 percent month-on-month (m/m) in April.
Latest Columns COVID-19
Around the globe, financial markets experienced a heavy storm – or a tornado – in March 2020 as coronavirus fears peaked. Particularly after the World Health Organization (or WHO) officially labelled the COVID-19 outbreak a “pandemic” on 11 March 2020 and a growing number of nations started imposing restrictions on the movement of people and economic activity, markets entered deep red territory.
The number of confirmed novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infections and fatalities have been growing steadily across Indonesia in recent weeks, especially in the capital city of Jakarta where around half of the country's total COVID-19 cases originate from. And the alarming matter is that this could very well be the beginning of the real storm.
As financial market turbulence has reached extreme levels over the last several weeks, recent events have severely limited this year’s prospects for economic growth in both developed markets and emerging markets. Of course, it is still too early to accurately assess the true macroeconomic impact of COVID-19, so we are still dealing with broad conjectures more than anything else. But the widespread limitations on that have been placed upon international travelers and the severity of business disruptions that have been seen around the world will almost certainly impact global GDP figures for the next several quarters.
