5 September 2025 (closed)
Jakarta Composite Index (7,867.35) -18.51 -0.23%
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Amid the hectic environment, with trade talks between Indonesia, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU), ongoing geopolitical turmoil in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, shifting political alliances, a US Federal Reserve that may hold its benchmark interest rate steady for longer, and subdued global economic growth, it is interesting to take a look at how the Indonesian economy is performing.
As usual, we are going to take a close look at the latest available macroeconomic data of Indonesia to assess the current state of the Indonesian economy. Last month, we came to the conclusion that –overall– conditions seemed a bit weakening (with most macroeconomic indicators revealing some softness), thus suggesting that economic growth is (further) slowing in Indonesia.
In another article in this May 2025 edition, we discussed Indonesia’s Q1-2025 gross domestic product (GDP) data in detail. So, the focus of the article you’re reading right now will be on the latest economic data of Indonesia (that cover the second quarter of the year).
The long Idul Fitri holiday (that ends on 7 April 2025) somewhat disrupts our access to Indonesia’s macroeconomic data as much of the private and public sector is closed during this holiday (hence do not release any data during this period).
On 5 February 2025, the Statistical Agency of Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS) announced that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) was recorded at a growth rate of 5.03 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2024. In another article in this month’s edition, we devote an analysis concerning Indonesia’s 2024 GDP growth.
Ever since the second half of 2023 car sales in Indonesia have been quite disappointing. While in recent years Indonesia had become used to seeing more than one million cars being sold across the country per year (excluding the COVID-19 crisis period), sales now seem to have stabilized around 850,000 units per year in the 2024-2025 period.
In last month’s report we saw that Indonesia’s official economic growth rate was (in line with expectations) quite strong at 5.11 percent year-on-year (y/y) in Q1-2024. Moreover, last month we also saw that most of the macroeconomic data point at the continuation of strong growth in Q2-2024 (with the only major exception being the country’s car sales data that still showed deep red numbers).
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.
At the annual meeting of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) at the very end of November 2023, Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo said the central bank is optimistic about accelerating economic growth in the next two years (2024 – 2025).
Like with most sectors, the automotive sector of Indonesia received a wave of fresh air as most of the COVID-19-related social and business restrictions were scrapped by the government at the end of 2022. And, when the government also scrapped the vaccine-booster requirement for traveling into, and across, the country in June 2023 we can argue that the COVID-19 crisis is truly over.
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Across Indonesia, demand for used cars remains strong (exceeding sales of new cars by a wide margin), and this offers a lucrative market for players in the country's second-hand car industry. Meanwhile, it also points at a shifting consumer pattern that exposes a weakness in the Indonesian economy.
In another article in this report we discuss the remarkable discrepancy between the strong (official) gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 5.12 percent year-on-year (y/y) in Q2-2025 and Indonesia’s somewhat lackluster macroeconomic data in that same quarter. This discrepancy not only surprised many, but it also made many a bit suspicious about the accuracy of the Q2-2025 GDP data that were released by the Statistical Agency of Indonesia (Badan Pusat Statistik, BPS).
We are gradually approaching the first 100 days in office of the new administration in Indonesia (under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto). Does that show in the latest economic indicators?
As usual, we devote one article to the latest available (key) macroeconomic data in an effort to assess the state of the Indonesian economy. In the previous article in this month’s report, we discussed the 4.95 percent year-on-year (y/y) GDP growth rate of Indonesia in Q3-2024. In the article you are reading right now, we’re going to take a closer look whether the country’s economic growth can accelerate (or decelerate) in the last quarter of the year.
The holy Islamic fasting month (Ramadan) and the weeklong celebrations that mark the end of the Ramadan (known as Idul Fitri or Lebaran in Indonesia) is important for the Indonesian economy as it is a period when people consume more than usual.
The biggest problem for western car-makers is the dominant position of Japan in Indonesia's automotive market. Japan has been dominating the Indonesian car market since the 1970s and there are no signs that this situation will change in the short or long term.
After Ford Motor Indonesia, the local unit of American car manufacturer Ford Motor Company, exited Indonesia earlier this year as the company found it too difficult to compete with Japanese counterparts on the Indonesian market, Ford found a new way to make sure its components and after sales services can be delivered in Southeast Asia's largest economy.
The government of Indonesia eyes rapid growth of car exports in the two decades ahead. By the year 2035 the government targets to see car shipments from Indonesia rise to 1.5 million vehicles (from around 200,000 exported units in 2016). By that year, exported vehicles should contribute 37.5 percent of total Indonesian car sales.
Indonesia's automotive industry is centered around Bekasi, Karawang and Purwakarta in West Java. In this area various big global car-makers invested in industrial estates as well as car and component manufacturing plants. Therefore, it has become the production base of Indonesia's automotive sector (including motorcycles) and can be labelled the "Detroit of Indonesia". Detroit (Michigan, USA) is the birthplace of the US automotive industry and is home to car giants General Motor, Chrysler, and Ford.
Indonesians love the multipurpose vehicle (MPV), known as "people carriers", as these vehicles are bigger and taller than the family car. Indonesians enjoy taking trips with the family (and/or invite some friends) and therefore a big car is required. The MPV can carry up to seven passengers and thus meets this request. Car manufacturers are aware of high MPV demand and therefore continue to launch new (and better) models. With functionality in check, manufacturers now particularly focus on improving the design of the MPV to entice Indonesian consumers.
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