Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Bank Indonesia

  • Indonesia’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Grow to USD $100.7B in January 2014

    Amid an improving trade balance, Indonesia’s foreign exchange reserves rose to USD $100.7 billion at the end of January 2014, according to a press release of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia). Compared to December 2013, the reserves increased USD $1.3 billion. These reserves are sufficient to finance 5.7 months of imports or 5.6 months of imports and servicing of government external debt, which is well above the international standard of reserve adequacy at 3 months of imports.

    Read more ›

  • Use of Bitcoin as Payment Instrument Banned by Indonesia's Central Bank

    The use of bitcoin, the hotly debated digital currency that was launched in 2009, is banned by the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia). This week, Bank Indonesia released a press release in which it states that the bitcoin and other virtual currencies are not considered as currencies nor legal payment instruments in Indonesia. After China, Denmark and Russia, Indonesia has become the next country to ban the use of the bitcoin as it can jeopardize the country's financial stability according to the assessment of the bank.

    Read more ›

  • Bank Indonesia: Growth in Q4-2013 Improved and Became More Balanced

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) stated that economic growth during the fourth quarter of 2013 was recorded at 5.72 percent (yoy), thus having increased compared to the previous quarter (5.63 percent, yoy), and which is also higher than Bank Indonesia's estimate (5.7 percent). With this development, the overall economic expansion in 2013 reached 5.78 percent. Bank Indonesia considers that the fundamental condition of Indonesia’s economy is still relatively robust.

    Read more ›

  • Manufacturing in Indonesia Expands Slightly in January on New Orders

    Although China's HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in January 2014 fell below the 50.0 mark thus indicating contracting manufacturing, other Asian countries, including Indonesia, posted expanding manufacturing. Indonesia's HSBC Manufacturing PMI read 51.0 in the first month of the year, its highest reading since June 2013 and up from 50.9 in December 2013. However, this limited expansion also raised concerns that the policy tightening of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) has not been as effective as hoped for.

    Read more ›

  • OJK: Credit Growth in Indonesia's Banking Sector at a Safe Level

    Credit growth in Indonesia's banking sector in 2014 is estimated to range between 17 and 18 percent. This estimation is higher than the central bank's target of 15 to 17 percent but lower than credit growth in 2013. According to Indonesia's Financial Services Authority (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, OJK), this pace of growth is at a safe level. Third party funds are projected to grow 16 to 16.5 percent, while the OJK did not provide an estimation of the loan to deposit ratio (LDR) yet although it did say that the LDR was at a safe level too.

    Read more ›

  • Update on Floods in Jakarta: Water Subsiding but Risks Remain

    On Sunday (26/01), Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that the floods in Jakarta have led to 23 casualties (due to drowning, electrocution or the impossibility for sick people to reach the hospital) in the last two weeks in Indonesia's capital city, while almost 28,000 people are still displaced from their homes. The good news, however, is that in many parts of Jakarta floodwaters have begun to subside since the end of last week although several neighborhoods remain flooded up to this day.

    Read more ›

  • Floods, LPG and Electricity Tariffs Impact on Indonesia's January Inflation

    Contrary to reports last week, the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects that the country's January inflation rate may exceed 1 percent due to the disturbance of food products distribution amid severe floods in several cities in Indonesia, particularly Jakarta and Manado. Higher food prices are expected to add 0.3 percent to the monthly inflation rate. Apart from the flood issue, higher LPG as well as electricity tariffs (in the industry sector) will also contribute to January 2014 inflation.

    Read more ›

  • Indonesian Government Auctions Rupiah-Denominated Bonds on Tuesday

    Today (21/01), the government of Indonesia auctions rupiah-denominated state bonds of IDR 10 billion (USD $833 million) in order to reap funds to finance targets set in the government's 2014 state budget (APBN 2014). The bonds, involving the new issuance of SPN12150108 and re-openings of series FR0069, FR0070, and FR0071, have a nominal value of IDR 1 million each. Series SPN12150108 is issued at a discount yield. The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) organizes the auction using a multiple price method.

    Read more ›

  • Bank Indonesia Expects Another Trade Surplus in December 2013

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects that the country will record another monthly trade surplus in December 2013. Perry Warjiyo, Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, said that the December trade balance is estimated to record a USD $785 million surplus, thus slightly improving from the USD $776.8 million surplus in November 2013. If Bank Indonesia's forecast is realized then it would be the third consecutive month in which Indonesia posts a trade surplus. This is important  to improve the country's financial stability.

    Read more ›

  • Indonesia's High Rainfall Can Lead to Inflationary Pressures in January

    Traditionally in the first month of the year, heavy rainfalls plague certain areas of Indonesia, particularly parts of Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra as the rainy season hits its peak. These weather conditions cause social problems as tens of thousands of people need to relocate as well as economic turmoil due to disrupted harvests and logistic trouble amid bad connectivity. Governor of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia), Agus Martowardojo, stated that the current weather conditions may result in higher inflationary pressures in January.

    Read more ›

Latest Columns Bank Indonesia

  • Indonesia Lowers Down Payments for Car, Motorcycle & Property Purchases

    In a bid to boost economic activity in Indonesia, the central bank (Bank Indonesia) revised several regulations involving down payments for the purchase of cars and motorcycles as well as the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratios for first or more home purchases by Indonesian citizens. Yati Kurniati, Director of Bank Indonesia’s Macroprudential Department, said that the central bank implemented the looser monetary policy in the property and automotive sectors in an effort to boost credit growth, hence boosting the whole economy.

    Read more ›

  • Buying a House in Indonesia Made Easier as BI Supports Economic Growth

    Soon it will be made easier to buy property in Indonesia as the country’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) plans to ease down payment (DP) requirements for mortgages. Today (22/05), Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo told reporters that the DP obligation for first-home buyers will be lowered from 30 percent to 20 percent of the property’s value. This relaxation should have a positive effect on the performance of Indonesia’s financial institutions and property developers as demand for loans and property is assumed to grow.

    Read more ›

  • Rupiah & Stocks Weaken Ahead of Bank Indonesia Policy Meeting

    Investors are clearly waiting for results of Bank Indonesia’s Board of Governor’s Meeting, conducted today (19/05). In this monthly policy meeting, Indonesia’s central bank will decide on its monetary approach. For most market participants it is of crucial importance to learn whether Bank Indonesia will adjust its interest rate policy in order to support the country’s economic growth (which slowed to a five-year low in the first quarter of 2015). Ahead of results, scheduled to be released this afternoon, Indonesian stocks and the rupiah weaken.

    Read more ›

  • Foreign Debt Growth Indonesia Slows, What about the Interest Rate?

    Bank Indonesia announced today that the country’s total foreign debt rose 7.6 percent (y/y) to USD $298.1 billion in the first quarter of 2015. This figure means that the pace of the country’s foreign debt growth has slowed from the 10.2 percentage point growth (y/y) that was recorded in the preceding quarter. Both public and private sector foreign debt growth slowed as both sectors are more careful to take up loans amid a weakening rupiah while export revenues decline amid sluggish global (and domestic) economic growth.

    Read more ›

  • April Inflation Update Indonesia: Consumer Price Index up 0.36% m/m

    Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Monday morning (04/05) that Indonesia’s inflation accelerated to 6.79 percent year-on-year (y/y) in April 2015. On a month-to-month basis, Indonesian inflation was recorded at 0.36 percent in April. Although this result is in line with analysts’ previous projections, April inflation realization is in sharp contrast with the ‘usual’ inflation pace in the fourth month of the year. Usually, Indonesia records slight deflation in April as prices ease amid the peak of the harvest season.

    Read more ›

  • Inflation Update Indonesia: "April Inflation Higher than Usual"

    Inflation in Indonesia is expected to accelerate to 6.80 percent year-on-year (y/y) in April 2015, from 6.38 percent y/y in the previous month, according to the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia). As global oil prices have somewhat recovered from their recent lows, they add inflationary pressures in Indonesia (higher transportation costs). On a month-on-month (m/m) basis, Indonesian inflation is expected to be around 0.35 percent in April. This figure would be in sharp contrast to ‘normal’ April inflation.

    Read more ›

  • Slowing Economic Growth Indonesia to Continue in Q1-2015?

    Within a couple of days Statistics Indonesia (BPS) is scheduled to release Indonesia’s GDP growth figure for the first quarter of 2015. Despite economic growth forecasts for full-year 2015 - both of the Indonesian government and international institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) - signalling a rebound from the five-year low of 5.02 percent (y/y) in 2014, various analysts expect to see further slowing economic growth in Q1-2015.

    Read more ›

  • New Regulation on Mandatory Use of Rupiah in Indonesia

    On March 31, 2015, Bank Indonesia issued regulation number 17/3/PBI/2015 concerning Mandatory Use of Rupiah in the Territory of Indonesia (BI Regulation). In the much discussed Law number 7 of 2011 concerning Currency the mandatory use of rupiah in Indonesia was already regulated, however could be exempted in case the contract parties had agreed in writing to the terms of payment in a currency other than rupiah. Under the new BI regulation the terms on the use of foreign currencies are further restricted. In this column we discuss the most important changes based on the BI Regulation.

    Read more ›

  • Update Indonesia Rupiah: Strengthening against the USD over the Past Month

    Over the past week, the Indonesian rupiah continued to appreciate against the US dollar. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the rupiah appreciated 0.07 percent to IDR 12,850 per US dollar on Friday (17/04). Only a month ago, investors and policymakers were alarmed when the rupiah touched IDR 13,245 per US dollar, a 17-year low. This column discusses the factors that caused the strengthening of the rupiah in recent weeks. However, amid looming further monetary tightening in the USA, this development should be short-term only.

    Read more ›

  • Bank Indonesia Press Release: BI Rate Maintained at 7.50%

    Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) decided to maintain its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent, the deposit facility rate at 5.50 percent and lending facility rate at 8.00 percent. This interest rate environment is considered to be in line with the central bank’s ongoing efforts to push the country’s inflation figure within its target of 4±1 percent for 2015 and 2016, as well as to control the country’s current account deficit towards a healthier level at 2.5-3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium term.

    Read more ›

Associated businesses Bank Indonesia