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In line with our forecast, Indonesia recorded mild deflation in August 2023. Based on the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Indonesian deflation was recorded at 0.02 percent month-on-month (m/m) in August 2023. But because deflation was milder than last year, Indonesia’s annual inflation accelerated to 3.27 percent (y/y).
Based on the latest data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), consumer prices in Indonesia grew 2.57 percent year-on-year (y/y) in February 2019, a near-decade low, and below our forecast of 2.75 percent (y/y). The last time we saw this low level of inflation in Indonesia was back in November 2009.
Per 1 September 2018 all vehicles and heavy machinery that have diesel engines in Indonesia will need to use diesel that contains fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), a type of fatty acid ester which is obtained from palm oil. This new rule is part of the Indonesian government's expanded B20 program that makes it mandatory for all vehicles to use biodiesel that consists of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.
Most analysts and government officials see Indonesian inflation accelerating this year after a mild 2016 in which Indonesia's consumer price index rose by 3.02 percent year-on-year (y/y) only. Indonesian Chief Economics Minister Darmin Nasution said low inflation in 2016 was primarily caused by low administered price growth (in a couple of months administered prices in fact fell last year) as well as controlled food prices. He added, however, that food prices have been rather volatile and are expected to remain volatile in 2017.
The Indonesian government now allows private investors to develop oil refineries in Indonesia, effectively ending state-owned energy Pertamina's (virtual) monopoly. Before this new regulation, private companies had to cooperate with Pertamina to build oil refineries in Southeast Asia's largest economy. The new policy is an effort to boost domestic oil refinery capacity in Indonesia (hence limiting the need for refined fuel imports) and improve the investment climate by opening this industry to the private sector. This sector can also apply for tax incentives.
In order to realize Indonesian President Joko Widodo's recently announced "One Fuel Price policy", state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina will need to invest about IDR 380 billion (approx. USD $29 million) in additional infrastructure. Last week Widodo announced, when visiting Papua in the far east of Indonesia, that fuel prices are to become the same across the entire archipelago. Due to weak infrastructure and poor distribution channels, prices of gasoline and diesel are about ten times as expensive in Papua compared to Java.
Indonesia's April deflation of 0.45 percent month-to-month (m/m) was slightly higher than estimated (the general consensus among analysts was 0.29 percent m/m deflation in April 2016). Traditionally, Indonesia experiences deflation in April as food prices ease due to the harvest season. This year, however, deflationary pressure was higher than usual as, per 1 April 2016, Indonesia's premium gasoline and diesel fuel prices were cut by IDR 500 (approx. USD $0.04) per liter, thus curtailing transportation costs. Indonesia's annual inflation rate now stands at 3.60 percent (y/y).
On 3 April 2016, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website over the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic matters such as Indonesia´s 11th economic policy package, the latest inflation and manufacturing figures, an update on palm oil export, tenders for geothermal power development, fruit export, the fuel price policy, and much more.
Per 1 April 2016 Indonesia's premium gasoline and diesel fuel prices decline by IDR 500 (approx. USD $0.04) per liter. Provided no shocks occur on the international crude oil market, these prices will remain at this level up to 31 September 2016. In January 2015 the Indonesian government scrapped generous subsidies for premium gasoline and capped the subsidy for diesel fuel at IDR 1,000 per liter. Ever since, Indonesian authorities evaluate prices of premium and diesel each quarter and determine prices based on crude oil price movements on the international market.
The government of Indonesia wants to construct the Bontang oil refinery in East Kalimantan through a private-public partnership (PPP). Sudirman Said, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, said construction of the Bontang oil refinery is scheduled to commence in 2017. State-owned energy company Pertamina will be in charge of the project and is now searching for investors to participate in the project which is estimated to require a total of USD $14.5 billion in investment.
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The heavily subsidized fuel price of Indonesia is likely to be raised next month according to Indonesian media sources. Various high officials, including Economic minister Hatta Rajasa, discussed the possibility to raise the fuel price from IDR 4,500 (USD $0.46) to IDR 6,500 (USD $0.67) per liter starting from May. This increase will only apply to private passenger cars, and not to motorcycles and public transportation. However, president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has not made up his mind yet.
Indonesia's main stock index, the IHSG, continued its rally on Wednesday 17 April due to increased US monthly Housing Starts, decreased US inflation, as well as financial results of companies that indicated revenues and net profits exceeded expectations. Moreover, the IMF upgraded its outlook for East Asia's economic, which made investors buy stocks. Within Indonesia, there was enthusiasm regarding Q1-2013 corporate results and dividend payouts, which offset uncertainties about the new fuel policy.
Last week, I discussed the composition of the ten largest Indonesian companies by market capitalization. For this week's column I have decided to zoom in on the performance of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG), which has been highly volatile in the last week. It seems like its trend for the upcoming short-term has changed from an upward into a sideward trend. While the Dow Jones Index has been setting new records, the IHSG is showing some signs of fatigue.
Yesterday, Statistics Indonesia (BPS), a non-departmental government institution, released Indonesia's export and import numbers of February 2013. Indonesia's imports reached US $15.32 billion, while its exports stood at US $14.99 billion. It has thus resulted in the continuation of a trade deficit (US $327.4 million). For Indonesia, which always reported trade surpluses until last year, it is a worrying scenario as the trade deficit and higher inflation put pressure on the IDR rupiah.
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