Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves rose slightly last month. According to the lastest data from the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia), the country's foreign exchange assets inched up to USD $107.7 billion in April 2016 from USD $107.5 billion in the preceding month. Bank Indonesia stated that the increase came on the back of foreign exchange receipts obtained through the recent sale of central bank certificates (SBBI). These proceeds exceeded foreign exchange needed for foreign debt payments, hence causing rising reserve assets.

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Local media in Indonesia report that the Indonesian government has a list of 6,000 names of Indonesians that are ready to repatriate their funds in order to take advantage of the tax incentive provided by the Tax Amnesty Bill. This controversial bill, which is currently being discussed by Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR), makes it attractive for tax evaders to repatriate their undeclared wealth into Indonesia as they are offered tax incentives and protection from prosecution.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) kept its key interest rate (BI rate) at 6.75 percent at the April policy meeting. This decision was in line with expectations. During the three policy meetings conducted in the January-March 2016 period Bank Indonesia had already cut its BI rate by a combined 75 basis points as inflation and the current account deficit are under control, while the Indonesian rupiah has been strengthening against the US dollar since the start of 2016. Last week, Bank Indonesia announced it will adopt the seven-day reverse repurchase rate (reverse repo) to replace the existing BI rate as the bank's key monetary tool.

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Indonesia's foreign debt rose 3.7 percent (y/y) to USD $311.5 billion at end-February 2016, a higher growth pace compared to the 2.2 percent (y/y) recorded in the preceding month. The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) informed that rising foreign debt was solely due to higher public sector foreign debt, while private sector foreign debt in fact eased. The Indonesian government took up long-term foreign debt to fund its ambitious infrastructure development programs. As a result, public sector external debt rose 9 percent to USD $146.9 billion in February, or 47.2 percent of Indonesia's total foreign debt.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) plans to adopt a new tool of monetary policy that is to replace the existing benchmark interest rate (BI rate). On Friday (15/04), Bank Indonesia will announce and elaborate on the new policy. Earlier, Indonesia's central bank said it was studying the implementation of a seven-day reverse repurchase rate (reverse repo) as the nation's new benchmark that is to influence borrowing costs and market liquidity more effectively. The new policy would mean Bank Indonesia sells securities with an agreement to buy them back within a seven-day period.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) announced that the nation's foreign exchange reserves rose to a total of USD $107.5 billion at the end of March 2016, up USD $3 billion from Indonesia's forex assets one month earlier. Growing reserves came on the back of foreign exchange receipts, primarily through the the issuance of government global sukuk (Islamic bonds) and Bank Indonesia's US dollar-denominated bills. These forex receipts outweighed the government's foreign debt obligations.

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The banking sector of Indonesia is expected to rebound in 2016 due to the lower primary reserve requirement ratio for rupiah deposits (6.5 percent), lower cost of funds as well as operational costs, rising credit volume (due to the lower interest rate environment) and improving purchasing power. The banking sector is also expected to feel the positive impact of the stimulus packages unveiled by the Indonesian government aimed at strengthening domestic businesses and improve the investment climate. And lastly, banks are to benefit from the government's push for infrastructure development.

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In the first three monthly policy meetings this year (January-March) the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) cut borrowing costs by a total of 75 basis points. Indonesia's benchmark interest rate (BI rate) was cut from 7.50 percent at the year-start to 6.75 percent at Thursday's Board of Governors' meeting. The overnight deposit facility rate and lending facility rate were also cut by 75 basis points, each, in the first three months. The lower interest rate environment in Indonesia signals that the financial fundamentals are strong. This is partly reason behind strong inflows of foreign capital into Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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The foreign exchange reserves of Indonesia rose USD $2.4 billion to USD $104.5 billion in February 2016 according to a statement of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia). The lender of last resort attributed this forex growth to foreign exchange receipts from the oil & gas sector, foreign debt withdrawals, and the sale of foreign-denominated bonds (SBBI). These receipts were more than enough to cover for the use of foreign exchange for public foreign debt payments.

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Indonesia's consumer confidence regarding the country's macroeconomic conditions weakened in February 2016. Bank Indonesia's Consumer Confidence Index dropped 2.6 points to 110. The survey indicates that there are two reasons that explain this decline. Firstly, lower optimism about current economic conditions of Indonesia and, secondly, lower optimism regarding job availability over the next six months. Bank Indonesia's monthly survey is based on data provided by 4,600 households in 18 Indonesian cities across the archipelago.

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Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) decided to hold the country’s key interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent, the deposit facility rate at 5.50 percent, and the lending facility rate at 8.00 percent at the Board of Governor’s Meeting conducted on Tuesday 17 March 2015. Bank Indonesia said that its decision is in line with its ongoing efforts to push inflation back to the target range of 4±1 percent for both 2015 and 2016, and to guide the country’s current account deficit towards a healthier level at 2.5-3 percent of GDP in the medium term.

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Indonesia’s consumer price index fell for the second consecutive month in February 2015, recording deflation of 0.36 percent month-on-month (m/m) in February, while on an annual basis Indonesian inflation eased to 6.29 percent (y/y), down from 6.96 percent (y/y) in the preceding month. Inflationary pressures declined primarily on the back of lower prices of chili peppers and fuel. Easing inflation in Southeast Asia’s largest economy may provide room for Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) to cut interest rates further this year.

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The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate continued to depreciate on Monday (02/03). According to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia’s currency depreciated 0.30 percent to IDR 12,970 per US dollar, a six-year low. Apart from general bullish US dollar momentum in recent months (amid monetary tightening in the USA), the rupiah weakened due to Bank Indonesia’s signals that it tolerates a weaker currency in a move to boost exports (limiting the country’s current account deficit), and due to China’s interest rates cut.

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In a surprise move, the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) decided to lower its key interest rate (BI rate) by 25 basis points to 7.50 percent at the Board of Governor’s Meeting on Tuesday (17/02). The deposit facility rate (Fasbi) was also lowered by 25 basis points (to 5.50 percent), while the lending facility rate remained steady at 8.00 percent. In a press release the central bank stated that the current policy direction is estimated to moderate the country’s wide current account deficit further, while inflation remains under control.

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The trade balance of Indonesia improved in 2014. Over the whole year of 2014 Indonesia posted a USD $1.88 billion trade deficit, significantly better than the USD $4.08 billion deficit it recorded a year earlier. Today (02/02), Statistics Indonesia announced that Indonesia posted a USD $0.19 billion trade surplus in the last month of the year after having recorded a USD $0.42 billion trade deficit in the preceding month. The improved performance is mainly due to the country’s growing non-oil & gas surplus and narrowing oil & gas deficit.

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Foreign debt of Indonesia accelerated 11.8 percent year-on-year (y/y) to USD $294.4 billion in November 2014. This total debt of USD $294.4 billion in November 2014 consists of public foreign debt of USD $133.9 billion and private foreign debt of USD $160.5 billion. The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) stated that public foreign debt rose 8.6 percent (y/y) mainly on a rise in foreign holdings on government debt securities. Meanwhile, the growth pace of private foreign debt slightly eased.

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At the Indonesia Investment Summit 2015, organized in Jakarta on 15-16 January 2015, Bank Indonesia official Arief Mahmud presented several views of the central bank on the current Indonesian economy and the global and domestic challenges that it faces. As is widely known, Indonesia has been experiencing a process of slowing economic growth since 2011 due to sluggish global economic growth in combination with the rebalancing of the domestic economy. However, growth is expected to accelerate in 2015.

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In line with the performance of other Asian emerging currencies, Indonesia's rupiah exchange rate appreciated on Monday (12/01) as the fall in US wages (released late last week) caused speculation that the Federal Reserve will - for now - delay its plan to start raising US borrowing costs. Despite solid growing US non-farm payrolls in December 2014, US wages (average hourly earnings) fell the most in eight years. Indonesia’s rupiah appreciated 0.38 percent to IDR 12,599 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index.

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The central bank of Indonesia recently issued new regulations (Bank Indonesia Regulation No. 16/21/PBI/2014 and External Circular No. 16/24/DKEM) that aim to safeguard Indonesia’s financial fundamentals. These new regulations, which are an improvement of Bank Indonesia Regulation No. 16/20/PBI/2014 dated Oct. 28 2014, force Indonesian non-bank corporations to apply prudent fiscal management regarding foreign-denominated debt. Bank Indonesia felt these rules are needed as privately-held foreign debt rises continuously.

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The latest survey of Indonesia’s central bank indicates that consumer confidence fell in December 2014. The central bank’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 3.6 points to 116.5 in the last month of 2014 (a score above 100 signals optimism among consumers) due to the impact of higher subsidized fuel prices implemented in November 2014. This move triggered higher prices of products and services. The central bank’s Consumer Confidence Index is based on interviews with 4,600 households in 18 Indonesian cities.

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