The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is optimistic about economic growth of Indonesia in the foreseeable future. In its latest report the Washington-based institution says Indonesia's solid economic policies and increased household consumption support strong growth. The stronger rupiah and low inflation have caused people's purchasing power to strengthen. This is a major positive boost for the economy as household consumption accounts for more than 55 percent of total economic growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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UBS Investment Bank is less positive about Indonesia's economic growth in 2017 compared to most other institutions. The global financial services company, with its headquarters in Switzerland, expects to see the Indonesian economy growing by 4.8 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017. Edward Teather, Senior Economist for ASEAN and India at UBS, says the year 2017 is a year of adjustment and balancing for Southeast Asia's largest economy, while the role of fiscal support toward GDP growth is also seen declining this year. He added that 2018 will be the year in which Indonesia should see strongly accelerating economic growth.

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Eric Sugandi, Chief Economist at SKHA Institute for Global Competitiveness (SIGC), believes household consumption will remain the main engine of economic growth in Indonesia in 2017, followed by the other engines, namely direct investment and government spending. Regarding household consumption, Sugandi says the middle class contributes significantly to economic growth of Southeast Asia's largest economy due to their robust consumption. Traditionally, household consumption accounts for between 55 and 58 percent of Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP).

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The World Bank released the January 2017 edition of its Indonesia Economic Quarterly (IEQ), titled "Sustaining Reform Momentum", on Tuesday (17/01). In this report the Washington-based institution says Indonesia’s reforms to fiscal policy and the investment climate are expected to boost the local economy. Therefore, the World Bank maintains its economic growth rate for Indonesia in 2017 at 5.3 percent (y/y). However, it also emphasizes that Indonesia - like the rest of the international community - is also plagued by uncertainty in global economic policy and global financial market volatility.

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Rising private sector investment and strengthening commodity prices are the correct ingredients that can trigger accelerated economic growth in several Southeast Asian nations in 2017. In a report entitled "Global Economic Prospects: Weak Investment in Uncertain Times", which was released on Tuesday (10/01), the World Bank set its forecast for Indonesia's economic growth at 5.3 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017, followed by a 5.5 percent (y/y) growth rate in both 2018 and 2019, up from an estimated growth rate of 5.1 percent (y/y) in 2016.

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Moody's Investors Services, one of the big three credit global rating agencies, expects to see Indonesian companies posting steadily growing corporate earnings in 2017. This projection is supported by Indonesia's accelerating economic growth. After experiencing an economic slowdown in the years 2011-2015, the Indonesian economy is expected to grow 5.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017, improving from an estimated 5.0 percent (y/y) growth in 2016 and a 4.8 percent (y/y) growth realization in 2015.

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In order to escape the middle income trap (and become a high income country), the government of Indonesia needs to raise efforts to enhance the development of an inclusive economy by reforming the education and technology sectors as well as by combating social injustice. With a "business as usual" approach the government will not succeed in escaping this trap, says economist Faisal Basri. Indonesian society is currently highly unfair as 1 percent of the population controls 50.3 percent of the nation's total assets.

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Credit growth in Indonesia improved in October 2016 after touching a low in the preceding month. In October credit growth in Indonesia was recorded at a pace of 7.4 percent year-on-year (y/y), reaching IDR 4,246.6 trillion (approx. USD $314.6 billion), accelerating from a growth pace of 6.4 percent (y/y) in September. This development is caused by Bank Indonesia's lower interest rates although the victory of Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election may have curtailed demand for credit due to the higher degree of uncertainty about future US political and economic policies.

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Bank UOB Indonesia expects the economy of Indonesia to accelerate to a growth pace of 5.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017, from an estimated 5.0 percent (y/y) this year. Economic acceleration of Indonesia comes despite expected slowing global economic growth. Kevin Lam, President Director at Bank UOB Indonesia, stated infrastructure development and the government's economic policy packages will boost the economy and generate employment thus stimulating household consumption.

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Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced that Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 5.02 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the third quarter of 2016, down from a revised 5.19 percent (y/y) growth pace in the preceding quarter but in line with forecasts. BPS Head Suhariyanto said Indonesian economic growth remained subdued amid bleak and uneven growth in major trading partners. Secondly, slowing government spending realization and a cut in spending (to prevent Indonesia's budget deficit from widening too much) affected the GDP growth rate of Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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The central bank of Indonesia kept the BI seven-day reverse repo rate (7-day RR Rate) at 5.25 percent after its two-day August policy meeting (18-19 august 2016). At this policy meeting Bank Indonesia adopted the 7-day RR Rate as the nation's new benchmark monetary tool, replacing the BI rate that failed to influence markets significantly: despite the BI Rate having been cut from 7.50 percent to 6.50 percent so far this year, Indonesia's lending rates did not drop accordingly.

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A better-than-expected GDP growth figure in the second quarter of 2016 should not be a reason for Indonesia to become complacent. On the contrary, efforts to boost economic growth need to be continued. One of the keys to unlock accelerated economic growth is to optimize spending of government funds at the regional level. Alarmingly, some IDR 214.7 trillion (approx. USD $16.5 billion) of central government funds that are allocated to regional governments in the 2016 state budget are left untouched at bank accounts.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects Indonesia's inflation to reach slightly below 1 percent month-to-month (m/m) in July 2016. According to central bank surveys, Indonesia's inflation accelerated in the first and second week of July by 1.18 percent (m/m) and 1.25 percent (m/m), respectively. Juda Agung, Executive Director of Bank Indonesia's Economic and Monetary Policy Department, said inflation tends to peak ahead of - and during - the Idul Fitri holiday (4-8 July) but is set to ease in the third and fourth week.

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Bank Central Asia (BCA), the largest lender by market value and assets in Indonesia, is expected to benefit from Indonesia's tax amnesty program and improving economic growth of Southeast Asia's largest economy. CIMB Securities projects a 10 percent year-on-year (y/y) increase in loan growth in full-year 2016. However, this growth projection is slightly below BCA's loan growth realization one year earlier when it reached 12 percent (y/y). This slowing growth is attributed to lower demand for working capital credit and investment credit.

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Tuesday (19/07) that it cut its forecast for global economic growth in both 2016 and 2017 by 0.1 percentage point to 3.1 percent (y/y) and 3.4 percent (y/y), respectively. The downward revision is the result of a "substantial increase in economic, political, institutional uncertainty" due to the exit of Britain from the European Union (the so-called "Brexit"). In fact, if there were no Brexit, the IMF would have made an upward revision to its 2017 economic growth outlook, according to a statement made on the IMF website.

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said economic growth in developing Asia is relatively untouched by the recent "Brexit" vote (Britain's decision to exit the European Union). The ADB only cut its outlook for economic growth in developing Asia by 0.1 percentage point to 5.6 percent (y/y) in 2016. Within a two-week period Asia's emerging market stocks and currencies pared the heavy losses that occurred around 23 June 2016 when - amid heightened concern about the global economy - a flight to safety emerged.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) revised down its projection for Indonesia's economic growth in 2016 to the range of 5.0 - 5.4 percent (y/y), slightly below its previous forecast in the range of 5.2 - 5.6 percent (y/y). Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo said the central bank decided to trim its projection for gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year due to sluggish global economic growth, low commodity prices, and Indonesia's slightly disappointing Q1-2016 GDP growth figure at 4.92 percent (y/y).

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Although Indonesia's economic growth in the first quarter of 2016 was below analysts' estimates, most analysts agree that the nation's economic growth in the second quarter of the year could reach 5 percent (y/y), supported by domestic consumption and capital inflows. In Q1-2016 Indonesia's economic growth climbed at a pace of 4.92 percent (y/y) - accelerating from the 4.73 percent (y/y) GDP growth pace in the same quarter one year earlier - but significantly below estimates of most analysts. For example, Bank Indonesia expected GDP growth around 5.1 - 5.2 percent (y/y).

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Over the last few months, we have seen some impressive gains in the Indonesian rupiah (IDR) relative to the US dollar (USD). When we compare the performance of the IDR against the rest of the emerging market space, we can see that its gains are behind only the Brazilian real (BRL) and the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) for the period. This has prompted a wave of foreign export purchases as Indonesian consumers look to take advantage of the stronger currency.

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In 2015 Unilever Indonesia's net profit declined 1.2 percent (y/y) to IDR 5.85 trillion (approx. USD $443 million) due to weakened purchasing power of Indonesian consumers amid the economic slowdown. Last year Indonesia's GDP growth touched the six-year low of 4.79 percent (y/y). This year, however, economic growth is estimated to accelerate beyond the 5.0 percent (y/y) mark. Unilever Indonesia is a leading consumer goods producer in Indonesia that is mainly focused on home & personal care products as well as foods & refreshment products. How about its performance in 2016?

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