Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines S&P

  • S&P Sees Several Threats to the Indonesian Economy

    Although the fundamentals of the Indonesian economy are sound, credit rating agency Standard & Poor's Global Ratings (S&P) warned that there are several threats. These threats include four Fed Funds Rate hikes in 2018, a fragile rupiah, a looming higher benchmark interest rate in Indonesia (BI 7-day Reverse Repo), sluggish household consumption growth, a shift of focus from reforms to elections, the impact of a global trade war, and a deterioration in the balance sheets of certain state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

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  • Indonesia's Investment Grade Rating to Unlock $200 Billion?

    Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesian Minister of National Development Planning (Bappenas) and former Finance Minister, is confident that the recent sovereign credit ratings upgrade by Standard & Poor's (S&P) will unlock up to USD $200 billion in potential foreign capital inflows into portfolio investment, primarily into Indonesia's government and corporate bonds as well as stocks. Another advantage is that nations with investment grade ratings enjoy cheaper borrowing costs.

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  • Banks in Indonesia Don't Adjust Bond Sales after S&P Rating Upgrade

    Despite the recent rating upgrade from Standard & Poor's, Indonesia's banking sector will not immediately issue bonds to enjoy (expected) higher demand and lower yields. Based on data from the Financial Services Authority (OJK), per March 2017, the value of bonds issued by Indonesian banks fell from IDR 93.22 trillion in December 2016 to IDR 90.25 trillion (approx. USD $6.8 billion) per March 2017.

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  • More Bonds Issued in Indonesia after S&P Credit Rating Upgrade?

    More rupiah and foreign-denominated bonds are expected to be issued in Indonesia now credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) assigned investment grade status to Indonesia's sovereign rating (BBB-/stable outlook). Yields are expected to decline gradually, while the cost of funds become cheaper. Therefore, it now becomes more attractive for the Indonesian government and local companies (those that also have been assigned the investment grade rating) to issue bonds and collect "cheaper funds".

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  • Stock Market Update Indonesia: Rise on Wall Street, Oil & S&P

    Most Asian stocks are in the green zone on Monday morning (22/05), tracking Wall Street's performance on Friday where investors' attention shifted from recent political drama - related to US President Donald Trump - to good corporate earnings of Deere and Caterpillar. Meanwhile, rising crude oil ahead of the OPEC meeting on Friday (May 25, 2017) added positive sentiments to markets. Indonesia is again on track to finish at a new all-time record high.

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  • Indonesia Investments' Newsletter of 21 May 2017 Released

    On 21 May 2017, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website over the last seven days. Most of the topics involve political and economy-related matters such as the possible end to Indonesia's bank secrecy, the investment grade status from S&P, monetary policy, the current account balance, trade balance, infrastructure, and more.

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  • Indonesia Gets Investment Grade Credit Rating Status from S&P

    This is a great day for Indonesia's financial markets. Global credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) assigned investment grade status to Indonesia's sovereign rating, upgrading it from junk status, hence now being on par with the investment grade rating as assigned by the other leading credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service. The investment grade status from all three leading credit rating agencies should unlock a fresh flow of capital into Indonesia.

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  • Indonesia Stock Market: High Valuations, S&P Rating Upgrade?

    Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index slipped for the third consecutive day on Tuesday (02/05), unable to follow the general trend in Asian markets. While the overnight rally on Wall Street (the Nasdaq hitting a new all-time high) and easing geopolitical concerns on Korea provided the right context for most Asian stocks to rise, Indonesia failed to follow suit. This was attributed to higher-than-expected inflation. However, we also want to add that valuations of Indonesian stocks are still high, making these stocks "a bit unattractive".

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  • Investment Grade Rating from S&P to Boost Capital flows into Indonesia

    American finance firm Goldman Sachs Group Inc expects a big flow of funds from Japan to enter Indonesia's capital markets if credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) decides to upgrade Indonesia's sovereign debt rating to investment grade. While Fitch Ratings and Moody's Investors Service have already upgraded Indonesia to investment grade status several years ago, S&P still rates Indonesia's debt one notch below investment grade, implying various big institutional investors cannot invest in Indonesian debt as they require investment grade ratings from all three key credit ratings agencies.

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  • Ease of Doing Business in Indonesia Improving, Time for Complacency?

    Indonesia's improving ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index shows that the government's reform efforts have had a positive effect. However, there is no time for complacency as most industries in Indonesia continue to lack competitiveness compared to regional counterparts, while many entrepreneurs in Indonesia continue to complain about (the lack of) legal certainty as well as (the lack of) good coordination and cooperation between Indonesia's central and regional governments (in terms of policy implementation).

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Latest Columns S&P

  • S&P Affirms Indonesia's Sovereign Credit Rating at BBB-/Stable

    One of the leading global credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor's (S&P), decided to keep Indonesia's sovereign rating at BBB-/stable outlook (investment grade status). This is a positive message considering Indonesia has recently been under heavy pressure amid volatile global capital flows. Meanwhile, Indonesia's current account deficit (CAD) widened significantly in the first quarter of 2018. Indonesia's current account balance (which turned into a structural deficit since late-2011) is among the concerns shared by credit rating agencies.

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  • Stock & Currency Markets Are Getting Used to Terror Attacks

    Despite the suicide bombs attack in Jakarta on Wednesday evening (24/05) that killed 3 police officers (and the two militants) at a Jakarta bus station, the Jakarta Composite Index rose after opening on Friday (26/05), while the rupiah only weakened slightly against the US dollar (Thursday was a public holiday). It is yet another example of the fact that markets around the globe have become used to the existence of militant attacks. Particularly a relatively small attack will not lead to any negative sentiments.

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  • Credit Ratings: Moody's Revises Indonesia's Rating Outlook to Positive

    Moody's Investors Service, one of the globe's three big credit rating agencies, affirmed Indonesia's Baa3 issuer rating, Baa3 senior unsecured bond ratings, and (P)Baa3 senior unsecured medium term note program rating. However, it also upgraded its credit outlook on Indonesia from "stable" to "positive", implying that Indonesia comes a bit closer to a rating upgrade. Such upgrade would trigger capital inflows (on the back of stronger investor confidence), while the cost of funds would become cheaper for the government when issuing government bonds.

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  • Failure to Attract Ratings Upgrade Could Inhibit Rupiah

    Over the last few months, we have seen a good deal of stability in the financial markets. This has been the experience in most asset classes, and the global value of the Indonesian rupiah is giving investors an idea of how the IDR is likely to continue to perform as an emerging market asset.

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  • Reforming Indonesia's Tax System is Key to Unlock S&P's Investment Grade

    In the past two weeks, two of the big international credit rating agencies released new reports about Indonesia's fiscal situation. Both agencies affirmed Indonesia's sovereign debt rating: Fitch Ratings kept Indonesia at BBB-/stable (investment grade class) and Standard & Poor's (S&P) maintained Indonesia at BB+/positive (highest junk level, one notch below investment grade). S&P's decision to keep Indonesia within the junk level category was met with disappointment among investors and Indonesian government officials but perhaps not that surprisingly.

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  • Fitch Ratings Affirms Indonesia's Sovereign Credit Rating at BBB-/Stable

    Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings maintained Indonesia's sovereign credit rating at BBB-/stable outlook in May 2016. BBB- is the lowest notch within the investment grade category. In a statement released on Tuesday (24/05) Fitch Ratings expressed that Indonesia's low public debt (at 26.8 percent of gross domestic product), limited risks in the banking sector, and the economic growth outlook at 5.1 percent (y/y) in 2016 amid global challenges were all factors that supported the decision of the credit rating agency to keep Indonesia on investment grade status.

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  • S&P: Indonesia's Banking Industry Stable but Profitability May Weaken

    New York-based financial services firm Standard & Poor's stated that Indonesia's banking industry will feel the negative impact of Indonesia's sluggish economic growth in combination with persistently low commodity prices next year. This combination may weaken profitability of the nation's banking industry. S&P puts Indonesia's economic growth in 2016 at 5 percent (y/y), below the International Monetary Fund's and World Bank's forecast as well as the central government's target, all at 5.3 percent (y/y).

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  • Indonesia's Loan Growth, Financial Literacy and US Rate Hike

    Global credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service expects loan growth in Indonesia to continue to slow in 2016 as sluggish economic growth curtails corporate and individual demand for funding in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Meanwhile, a survey conducted by Standard & Poor's shows that the majority of Indonesians are financially illiterate, implying that the government needs to increase efforts to educate its population. Lastly, Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao is convinced that a US interest rate hike will not cause a new financial crisis in Asia. Lets zoom in a bit further on these three subjects.

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  • Debt Restructuring Trikomsel Oke, S&P Warns of Indonesian Defaults

    American financial services company Standard & Poor's warns that defaults by Indonesian companies are a serious threat over the next 18 months given their eroded balance sheets amid the country's current economic slowdown. The warning came after Indonesian mobile phone retailer Trikomsel Oke announced plans to restructure about USD $155 million worth of debt as it may not be capable to meet obligations indefinitely.

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  • Indonesian Stocks & Rupiah: Gaining on S&P Rating Outlook Upgrade

    Although most emerging market stocks fell, Indonesian stocks and the rupiah showed a solid performance on Thursday (21/05). The rupiah appreciated 0.40 percent to IDR 13,122 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, while the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (Jakarta Composite Index) rose 0.39 percent to 5,313.21 points. Most emerging stocks fell due to weak data from China (despite a series of stimulus). However, Indonesian stocks were supported by news about its credit rating and dividend announcements.

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