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On Wednesday (06/09) Asian stocks are following the example of Wall Street's slide overnight. The benchmark MSCI Asia was down 0.66 percent by 10:15 am local Jakarta time on Wednesday morning. This weak performance is attributed to persistent concerns about North Korea's provocative behavior, while any non-violent sanctions against North Korea will unlikely encourage the nation to stop its nuclear program.
Asian stocks are in red territory on Monday (04/09), as expected, amid heightened concerns about North Korea's nuclear program. Over the weekend the nation conducted its sixth - and most powerful - nuclear test. Even more alarming, North Korea claims it has developed a hydrogen bomb; a bomb that is more powerful than the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States in World War II.
The Indonesian government proposed the rupiah value at IDR 13,500 per US dollar in the 2018 State Budget (that still requires approval from the House of Representatives). This implies the government expects the rupiah to depreciate modestly in the period ahead. Currently, the rupiah is trading at IDR 13,356 per US dollar (21/08). In the Revised 2017 State Budget the rupiah value target was set at IDR 13,400 per US dollar.
In local Indonesian media it is reported that Indonesian President Joko Widodo has given his blessing to the central bank (Bank Indonesia)'s plan to redenominate the rupiah. Bank Indonesia has already prepared a draft bill on the redenomination of the Indonesian Rupiah with the aim to improve economic efficiency and to create smoother commercial transactions. While the rupiah value would remain unchanged, the draft bill eyes to remove the last three zeros on all rupiah bills and coins.
Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index is expected to be under pressure on Monday (24/07) as markets await the release of corporate earnings reports (for example Amazon.com Inc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Credit Suisse Group AG will release their earnings this week) as well as the Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday (26/07). The Fed is expected to keep its monetary policy unchanged but investors will be looking for clues about the timing of the unwinding of the balance sheet.
Asian shares are under pressure on Friday morning (07/07) due to declines on Wall Street overnight. These declines were caused by the ADP jobs report, released on Thursday (06/07), that missed estimates as well as by rising tensions surrounding North Korea's ballistic missile tests and a tech sell-off. Meanwhile, global sovereign debt yields rose on expectation that the European Central Bank (ECB) is moving closer toward unwinding its massive monetary stimulus.
After the week-long holiday Indonesian stocks made an impressive return on Monday (03/07). Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index surged 1.38 percent to 5,910.24 points, another record high position, led by financial and telecommunication stocks. Investors were in the mood to buy Indonesian shares after the long holiday. Moreover, positive Chinese economic data and Indonesia's easing core inflation provided more reasons for investor appetite.
In line with expectations the US Federal Reserve announced to raise its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.00 - 1.25 percent after conclusion of the June policy meeting on Wednesday (14/06), its second hike in 2017. It also announced it will soon start its balance sheet unwinding plan, meaning cutting its massive (USD $4.5 trillion) holdings of bonds and securities. The Fed also informed US inflation will remain below its target with core inflation slowing for a fourth month in May 2017. But despite soft inflation, it goes ahead with monetary tightening.
Markets in Asia seem relieved one day after "Super Thursday" as there were no major upsets that rocked stock and currency markets (with the exception of the British pound that depreciated significantly after exit polls suggest the United Kingdom is heading for a hung parliament with May's Conservatives losing the clear majority). Meanwhile, the Comey testimony and ECB policy meeting had no destabilizing impact on Wall Street. Hence, US stocks gave big support to Asian markets on Friday (09/06).
Agus Martowardojo, the governor of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia), provided some new forecasts with regard to Indonesia's economic growth and rupiah. On Tuesday (06/06) Martowardojo told at a parliamentary hearing that he expects the rupiah to depreciate modestly in 2018, while economic growth should accelerate. Meanwhile, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said Indonesia's state budget deficit is estimated to widen slightly more-than-expected in 2017.
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The pace of the upward movement of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) was beyond expectation. While American and European stock indices were weak on Thursday (16/05/13) and Hong Kong's HSI as well as South Korea's KOSPI were closed due to holidays, it did not bring a negative impact on the IHSG. Particularly consumer and coal miner stocks supported the IHSG's rise. At the end of Friday's trading day (17/05/13), the IHSG hit a new record high level: 5,154.68 points, an 1.32 percent increase.
Positive American and European stock indices on Tuesday (14/05/13) made a good impact on Asian stock indices on Wednesday (15/05/13), including Indonesia's main index (IHSG) which is heading towards the 5,100 points line. Although many foreign investors were eager to sell their Indonesian assets, support from other Asian stock indices kept the IHSG within the green zone. At the end of the trading day, it stood at 5,089.88 points, a 0.16 percent rise.
On Tuesday (14/05/13), Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) rose supported by positive Asian stock indices in the first trading session. But this pillar of support did not last for long as the Asian stock indices weakened afterwards, which impacted on the performance of the IHSG. Pressures of profit taking remained as the IHSG is still near its record high level but foreign investors - being net buyers of Indonesian stocks - helped to offset profit taking, resulting in a 0.54 percent gain to 5,081.94 points.
After setting a new record last Friday, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) lost its strength on Monday (13/05/13). A number of factors were behind the decline. Foreign investors mostly sold their Indonesian assets as the record high level of the IHSG made it tempting to engage in profit taking. Moreover, the still unclear policy regarding Indonesia's subsidized fuel causes uncertainties. Lastly, Asian stock indices were mixed while European indices opened lower on Monday.
Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) returned to where it belonged: above the level of 5,000 points. Apparently Moody's threat to downgrade Indonesia's credit rating, as has been done by Standard & Poor's a few days ago, did not leave a big impression on market participants. As a result, the IHSG rose 1.02 percent to 5,042.79 and thus almost repaired the damage done at the end of last week. Other Asian stock indices as well as positive openings in Europe also provided good support today.
The upward movements of both American and European stock indices on Friday (03/05/13) provided good support for today's performances of indices in Asia, including the Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG). After having been hit hard for two consecutive trading day's, the IHSG rebounded despite foreign investors still selling off their Indonesian stocks. Others, however, use this momentum to hunt for stocks that are now considered cheap after last week's fall.
International financial services company Standard & Poor's (S&P) downgraded its outlook on Indonesia’s BB+ rating from positive to stable as the agency assessed that Indonesia's reform momentum is fading and the external profile is weakening. The decision came as a surprise as Indonesia's government had just declared to reduce its massive spending on fuel subsidies starting from next month. These subsidies were the main reason why S&P had not upgraded Indonesia's credit rating to investment grade yet.
The Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG) fell victim to large profit taking on Thursday's trading day (02/05/13) after having set a new record yesterday. Market players are probably concerned about the 'May Cycle' which refers to the traditional fall of the IHSG in the month of May. But negative market sentiments were particularly brought on by Standard & Poor’s revised outlook on Indonesia’s BB+ rating from positive to stable. It triggered a 1.32 percent correction in Indonesia's stock index.
Even though American and European stock indices were positive on Monday (in fact S&P 500 set a new record) it did not impact directly on the performance of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) on Tuesday (30/04/13). In the first session, the IHSG's peak at 5,014 points was only short-lived and quickly lowered again. In the second session, however, the index started to show more solid growth (despite the ongoing uncertainty about Indonesia's subsidized fuel price) as Asian stock markets were mostly up.
After two consecutive days of decline, the Jakarta Composite index (IHSG) had no intention to continue its fall. Indonesia's main index was able to rise 0.43 percent to 4,999.75 points on Monday 29 April 2013. Stocks that had been weakening in recent days were popular among investors. Moreover, both Asian stock indices and foreign net purchases of Indonesian stocks supported Indonesia's index, although it fell short of reaching the psychological boundary of 5,000 points.
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