Indonesian stocks and the rupiah remained under heavy pressure on Wednesday (25/04) after the benchmark ten-year US bond yields passed beyond the 3 percent level (for the first time since early 2014), thus lifting the US dollar and causing capital outflows from emerging markets. While most Asian stocks are trading in red territory today, Indonesian stocks are the most badly affected. The benchmark Jakarta Composite Index tumbled 2.40 percent to 6,079.85 points.

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Asian markets were the first to react to American-led strikes on Syria carried out on late Friday evening (13/04). The strikes were an answer to a chemical attack in Douma on April 7, allegedly conducted by the Syrian government under the leadership of President Bashar Assad. The US strike on Syria - supported by France and the United Kingdom - caused US-Russian relations to hit a new low. However, the strike did not lead to direct military confrontations between the USA and Russia and therefore markets are somewhat relieved on Monday.

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Despite the selloff on Wall Street overnight where the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 1.9 percent, the S&P 500 tumbled 2.23 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.74 percent, losses in Asia were less severe on Tuesday morning (03/04) as these losses were kept below 1 percent, overall. The selloff on Wall Street, partially driven by a sell-off of tech industry giants, was the weakest start of the second quarter for US shares since the Great Depression.

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Many Asian stocks are in deep red territory dragged down by a 3.49 percent decline of Japan's Nikkei 225 index in the morning of Friday (23/03). The Nikkei 225 is responding to plunging stocks on Wall Street overnight where the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 2.9 percent, while both the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.5 percent, each. All three benchmark US indexes suffered their biggest drops since 8 February 2018.

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As was widely expected by markets, the Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate to the range of 1.50 - 1.75 percent, which is the highest level since 2008, at the March 2018 monthly policy meeting on Wednesday (21/03). The rate hike was already priced in as few expected a different decision, hence most Southeast Asian stock indexes are up on Thursday (22/03), including Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index that rose 0.19 percent to 6,324.78 points in the first trading session.

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Amid mixed markets in Asia, Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index fell 0.95 percent to 6,321.90 points on Thursday (15/03). Asian markets were plagued by the same negative market sentiments that caused the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 to suffer their third consecutive daily decline overnight. Investors continue to be alarmed by trade policy changes initiated by the USA and possibly responded by other nations.

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Most Asian stocks are in the red zone on Wednesday (07/03) after it was reported that Gary Cohn is to resign as adviser to US President Donald Trump. Cohn, who is well-regarded in the business community and markets, opposes Trump's looming protectionist import tariffs (a 25 percent import tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum). Seeing Cohn lose the battle in the White House, markets have become more concerned about the possible outbreak of a global trade war.

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Indonesia's benchmark Composite Index touched a new record high on Monday (19/02) after surging 1.48 percent to finish at 6,689.29 points, particularly on the back of surging basic industry & chemicals and property shares. The performance of Indonesian stocks was in line with the overall performance of Asian stocks today. Japan's Nikkei 225 almost surged 2 percent. Benchmark indexes in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam also rose more than 1 percent today.

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Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced another correction, in fact: a brutal sell-off. After Monday's heavy losses, the Dow Jones plunged 4.15 percent to 23,860 points on Thursday (08/02). Besides the Dow Jones, the S&P 500 has also entered "correction territory" (having fallen over ten percent since their January highs). The mini correction that we saw on Tuesday may have been the eye in the storm only.

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There is major concern that Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index will continue to move deeper in red territory on Tuesday (06/02). Yesterday, on the first trading day of the week, the index had already fallen 0.59 percent to 6,589.68 points tracking Wall Street and European markets on Friday that went down amid concerns over sharply rising interest rates (with US 10-year bond yields reaching a four-year high).

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Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index, or IHSG) grew 10.08 percent in full-year 2021, a good performance after a volatile and highly uncertain 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis emerged. At around 6,580 points on the first trading day of 2022, the index remains at near-record high territory (with the record being set recently, in mid-November 2021, at around 6,750 points).

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Around a month ago, economists in the West started to become increasingly certain that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) is to announce a plan to taper its asset purchases. Not only that, they also expect the announcement to come soon.

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Indonesia’s stock market continues to struggle in attempts to find a bottom, as recent declines have been propelled by lower-than-expected GDP figures. For the first quarter, annualized growth of rates of 5.07 percent indicated a slight miss relative to the consensus estimates for the period (5.18 percent). Primary weaknesses were seen in export markets, where slowing demand for key commodities (such as coal and palm oil) indicated contraction for the first time since 2016.

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Earnings season has arrived again! Here Indonesia Investments presents a selection of H1-2018 corporate earnings reports of Indonesian companies that are listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), categorized by sector: (1) agriculture and mining, (2) basic industry and chemicals, (3) miscellaneous industry, (4) consumer goods, (5) property and real estate, (6) infrastructure, utilities and transportation, (7) finance, and (8) trade, services and investment.

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Indonesian construction company Trimitra Propertindo made its trading debut on the Indonesia Stock Exchange on Thursday (23/08). The company is the 33rd company that has completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the local bourse so far in 2018. There are now a total of 597 listed companies in Indonesia.

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Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index fell 1.24 percent to 6,229.63 points on Tuesday (24/04). The performance of Indonesian stocks were in line with the general trend in Southeast Asia. Due to rising US treasury yields (touching nearly 3 percent, its highest level since January 2014) investors withdraw their funds from riskier assets in emerging markets. Concerns over US inflation and the fiscal deficit are behind the rising US treasury yield.

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The year 2017 already finished for equity investors and therefore we can take a look back at the performance of Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index over the past 12 months. Indonesian stocks, generally, had a good year, with the benchmark index rising 19.99 percent to close 2017 at 6,355.65 points, a new all-time record high.

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After touching a new all-time record high level last week, analysts are optimistic that Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index will surpass the psychological level of 6,000.00 points later this year. Last Friday (25/08) the benchmark index of Indonesia reached 5,915.36 points, a new record, while market capitalization touched IDR 6,481.8 trillion (approx. USD $483.9 billion).

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Despite the suicide bombs attack in Jakarta on Wednesday evening (24/05) that killed 3 police officers (and the two militants) at a Jakarta bus station, the Jakarta Composite Index rose after opening on Friday (26/05), while the rupiah only weakened slightly against the US dollar (Thursday was a public holiday). It is yet another example of the fact that markets around the globe have become used to the existence of militant attacks. Particularly a relatively small attack will not lead to any negative sentiments.

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Improving full-year 2016 corporate earnings of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) leads to rising dividend payouts. More than 65 companies have already distributed their dividends to shareholders. Interestingly enough, coal miners and financial institutions offer the most attractive dividends.

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