17 October 2019 (closed)
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Today's Headlines Inflation
Annual headline inflation in Indonesia eased to 3.25 percent year-on-year (y/y) in January 2018, from 3.61 percent (y/y) in the preceding month. The decline in Indonesian inflation was slightly steeper than had been estimated by analysts. The latest consumer price index data were released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) just before noon on Thursday (01/02).
Indonesia's consumer price index (CPI) finished the year 2017 at the level of 3.61 percent year-on-year (y/y), slightly higher than analysts' forecasts but well within the government's full-year inflation target of 4.3 percent. Indonesian full-year 2017 inflation was the nation's highest annual inflation since 2014 when inflation surged to 8.36 percent (y/y) due to fuel subsidy reforms.
Indonesian inflation eased further in November 2017. Based on the latest official announcement of Statistics Indonesia (BPS), released on Monday morning (04/12), inflation was recorded at 0.20 percent month-on-month (m/m) in November, a relatively low figure for November inflation if we compare it to November inflation figures in recent years (see table below).
Indonesian inflation accelerated by a modest 0.01 percent month-on-month (m/m) in October 2017, considerably lower than the average monthly October inflation rate in recent years. Low October 2017 inflation primarily comes on the back of stable commodity prices. In fact, in terms of food prices, there actually occurred deflation in Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Indonesia's inflation rose by a mild 0.13 percent month-on-month (m/m) in September 2017, slightly above analysts' forecasts. On an annual basis, the country's inflation eased further to 3.72 percent (y/y). On Monday morning (02/10) Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) released the latest consumer price index data of Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Indonesia experienced 0.07 percent deflation on a monthly basis in August 2017 according to the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS). The result is in line with expectations as inflationary pressures tend to ease in Indonesia after the Ramadan and Idul Fitri celebrations in the June-July period. On an annual basis, Indonesian inflation eased to 3.82 percent in August.
Indonesia's inflation was recorded at 0.22 percent month-on-month (m/m) in July 2017. On Tuesday morning (01/08) Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) said July inflation was attributed to rising prices in most expenditure group indices, but particularly foodstuffs (+0.21 percent), processed food, beverages, cigarettes and tobacco (+0.57 percent), housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel (+0.06 percent), clothing (+0.06 percent), health (+0.15 percent), and education, recreation and sports (+0.62 percent).
Indonesia's inflation rate in June 2017 was higher than previously estimated. The nation's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Monday morning (03/07) that monthly inflation was recorded at 0.69 percent last month, while estimates ranged between 0.50 - 0.60 percent (m/m). Traditionally, Indonesian inflation tends to be high in June as people's consumption rises amid the Ramadan and Idul Fitri festivities.
Inflation is expected to have remained high in Indonesia in June 2017 amid the Ramadan and Idul Fitri celebrations, a period when increased consumption (especially consumption of food products) always triggers inflationary pressures in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Monthly inflation is estimated to reach around 0.50 percent in June. On Monday (03/07) Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) will release the nation's official inflation figures.
Indonesia's 10-year government bond yields are currently around 6.89 percent, or the highest among Asian nations. On the one hand, this makes Indonesian bonds attractive to investors but on the other hand it becomes more costly for the government. How come Indonesian bond yields remain high?
Latest Columns Inflation
On Monday 1 July 2019 Statistics Indonesia (BPS) released Indonesia’s latest inflation data. The data show that headline inflation in Southeast Asia’s largest economy eased to a level of 0.55 percent month-on-month (m/m) in June 2019, down from 0.68 percent (m/m) in May 2019 when price pressures peaked due to Ramadan and Lebaran celebrations. This period always gives rise to a significant boost in consumption, hence prices of foodstuffs peak. Meanwhile, people also tend to buy new clothes, bags and shoes because they want to look good at these celebrations.
There is concern that the Indonesian government's plan to curb price increases of (non-subsidized) fuels in Indonesia will impact negatively on private investors' enthusiasm to invest in Indonesia's oil and gas industry. Earlier this week Arcandra Tahar, Deputy Minister at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, informed that the government wants to regulate prices of fuels in order to keep inflation in check.
The number of people who live in poverty in Indonesia fell by 1.19 million individuals, per September 2017, to 26.58 million, from 27.77 million poor people in March 2017 (Indonesia's Statistics Agency releases poverty data twice per year, covering the situation in the months March and September). This is a significant decline and therefore constitutes a very good development. In relative terms, Indonesia's poverty rate fell 0.52 percent from 10.64 percent to 10.12 percent (over the same period).
Rising commodity prices are good for the Indonesian economy because the country is one of the world's biggest commodity exporters. However, rising commodity prices will also make it more difficult for the government to keep inflation within its target range of 2.5 - 4.5 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2018.
Bank Indonesia is content seeing Indonesia's inflation pace at a rather mild rate of 0.22 percent month-on-month (m/m) in July 2017. Dody Budi Waluyo, Executive Director of Economic and Monetary Policy at the central bank, said low and stable inflation is a positive asset for the economy as it supports the rupiah exchange rate as well as the investment climate and safeguards people's purchasing power.
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) maintained its benchmark interest rate - the 7-day reverse repurchase rate - at 4.75 percent at the policy meeting on 17-18 May 2017, a decision that is in line with analysts' forecasts. Bank Indonesia said the decision is consistent with its efforts to maintain macroeconomic and financial system stability "by driving the domestic economic recovery process", while continue to monitor external threats stemming from US policy directions and geopolitical conditions, specifically in the Korea Peninsula, as well as domestic threats stemming from inflationary pressures and ongoing consolidation in the banking and corporate sectors.
It is highly unlikely to see the continuation of deflation in April. Last month (March 2017) Indonesia recorded 0.02 percent of deflation, primarily on the back of easing food prices amid the big harvest season. This harvest season will continue into April and therefore we expect few (to none) inflationary pressures stemming from food products. However, administered price adjustments (specifically another round of higher electricity tariffs in March) will impact of April's inflation figure, while consumer prices may also start to feel the impact of the approaching Ramadan month.
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) kept its benchmark interest rate (seven-day reverse repo rate) at 4.75 percent at the April policy meeting (19-20 April 2017), while its deposit facility rate and lending facility rate stayed at 4.00 percent and 5.50 percent, respectively. Bank Indonesia considers the current interest rate environment appropriate to face global uncertainties as well as rising inflationary pressures at home.
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) said it carefully monitors the impact of higher electricity tariffs on the nation's inflation pace in March 2017. This month the government implemented the second phase of its gradual electricity tariff increase program for 900-VA household customers. Indonesia's state-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) decided to raise the electricity price for 900-VA households three times this year in order to cut energy subsidies and ensure that these subsidies are indeed channeled to the right people.
The Bank of Indonesia recently resorted to a sudden cut in interest rate (by 25 bps to 4.75 percent) at its 20th October 2016 meeting. This followed a 25 bps reduction in September and thus this is the sixth time this year that the Indonesian central bank has elected to loosen monetary policy.
