Indonesian taxi operator Blue Bird is the 19th company that has conducted an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in 2014. On Wednesday (05/11), the company’s shares made their debut on the stock exchange and immediately soared over 25 percent to IDR 8,175 (USD $0.68) per share. By releasing 376.5 million shares to the public, Indonesia’s largest taxi operator raised IDR 2.4 trillion (USD $200 million). However, this result is considerably lower than the earlier forecast of around USD $307 million.

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Although stock indices on Wall Street were up on Thursday (23/10) on strong corporate earnings (including Caterpillar and 3M) and economic data (US hiring as well as business’ surveys in Europe that suggest the region may avoid slipping back into a recession), it failed to push emerging market stocks higher on Friday (24/10). Indonesia’s benchmark stock index fell 0.60 percent to 5,073.07. Meanwhile, the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.05 percent to IDR 12,069 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index).

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Indonesian stocks, bonds and the rupiah exchange rate performed well ahead of - and during - the inauguration of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as Indonesia’s seventh President on Monday morning (20 October 2014). At 10:45 am local Jakarta time, when Jokowi was making his speech in front of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the Jakarta Composite Index had surged 1.36 percent to 5,097.25 points, while the rupiah had appreciated 0.78 percent to IDR 12,015 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index.

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Indonesian stocks and the rupiah exchange rate strengthened considerably on Friday (17/10) due to speculation that president-elect Joko Widodo will raise prices of subsidized fuels soon after his inauguration as Indonesia’s seventh President on Monday 20 October 2014. Furthermore, a meeting between Widodo and powerful opposition leader Prabowo Subianto on Friday morning also managed to ease concerns about political stability in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Lastly, rising indices on Wall Street added positive market sentiments.

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Both the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate and Indonesian stocks weakened sharply on Wednesday (08/10) due to internal and external factors. Externally, weakening stock indices on Wall Street on Tuesday (07/10) have a severe negative impact on the performance of Asian stocks today. Wall Street was down on the IMF’s downward revised outlook for global GDP growth in 2014 and 2015, as well as on Germany’s industrial production, which fell the most in five years in August 2014.

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Indonesian stocks and rupiah exchange rate weakened considerably on Friday (26/09) after Indonesian parliament approved a new bill that puts an end to direct local elections. Moreover, market sentiments were negative after stocks on Wall Street plunged on Thursday because of increasing concern about the global economy as well as consumers’ problems with Apple's latest software updates and new product launches (iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus) resulting in a 3.8 percent slide of Apple shares.

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Gold miner Archi Indonesia, a subsidiary of Rajawali Corpora, expects to collect USD $200 million through an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) before the end of the year. The company will offer between 15 and 20 percent of its enlarged share capital to the public. It appointed two local securities firms, including Danareksa Sekuritas, and two foreign securities firms as underwriters. So far this year, 18 companies have conducted an IPO on the Indonesia Stock Exchange.

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The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) expects five more initial public offerings (IPOs) before the end of this year. These companies are the Blue Bird Group, Soechi Lines Indonesia, Imack Pratama Industri, Intan Baruprana Finance, and Karisma Aksara Mediatama. The IPO of Blue Bird, known for its taxi services, is the most awaited one. The company is expected to sell 20 percent of its enlarged capital to the public and aims to raise about USD $450 million, making it one of the largest IPOs on the IDX since Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur in 2010.

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Cipta Kridatama, one of Indonesia leading mining contractor companies, plans to conduct an initial public offering on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) after 2015. The company believes that this corporate action will enhance transparency and good corporate management. Chief Executive officer (CEO) Irfan Setiaputri said that the company is eager to conduct the IPO but needs to wait until after 2015 in order to be fully prepared for this step. The company is currently busy expanding into other business sectors.

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Controversial former army general Prabowo Subianto, who was defeated in Indonesia's 2014 presidential election, is expected to challenge the election result in the Constitutional Court, claiming that the election has been influenced by massive vote fraud. Yesterday (22/07), prior to the official release of the election result by the General Elections Commission (KPU), Subianto already withdrew from the recapitulation process. Rival Joko Widodo (Jokowi) won the election securing 53.15 percent of the votes.

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The week ended well for both the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate and the benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG). Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the rupiah appreciated 0.30 percent to IDR 11,413 per US dollar at the end of Friday's trading day (16/05). Meanwhile, the IHSG surged 0.80 percent to finish just above the psychological level of 5,000 points. The good performance was supported by investors' positive response towards the latest political developments in Indonesia.

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The benchmark stock index of Indonesia - known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG - rose 0.17 percent to 4,921.39 points on Tuesday (13/05), impacted by investors' reaction to positive earnings reports of Indonesian coal miners in the first quarter of 2014. Today, foreign investors recorded net buying of IDR 64 billion (USD $5.6 million) and accounted for 31 percent of trading activity. However, investors remain cautious ahead of the presidential election that is scheduled for 9 July 2014 and wait for more clarity about the (vice) presidential candidates that will compete.

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ICRA Indonesia, an independent credit rating agency and subsidiary of ICRA Ltd. (associate of Moody's Investors Service), publishes a monthly newsletter which provides an update on the financial and economic developments in Indonesia of the last month. In the April 2014 edition, a number of important topics that are monitored include Indonesia's inflation rate, the trade balance, the BI rate, the IDR rupiah exchange rate, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Below is an excerpt of the newsletter:

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Contrary to most Asian stock indices, the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (known as IHSG or the Jakarta Composite Index) declined on Thursday (08/05). Positive sentiments that were provided by the BI rate (Indonesia's benchmark interest rate) that was kept at 7.50% in today's Bank Indonesia Board of Governors' Meeting, and China's higher-than-expected trade balance in April 2014 (USD $18.5 billion), were offset by the depreciating rupiah exchange rate and foreign net selling of Indonesian stocks. The IHSG fell 0.02 percent to 4,860.89 points.

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Completely opposite to our expectations, the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) managed to climb 0.57 percent to 4,862.02 points on Wednesday (07/05). The gain was unexpected as there were no clear factors that could provide positive market sentiments. Moreover, today's Asian stock indices were mostly down. Coincidence or not, tomorrow Bank Indonesia will announce whether its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) - currently set at 7.50 percent - will be changed or maintained.

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As I have mentioned before, Indonesia's benchmark stock index (better known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) runs the risk of declining amid a lack of domestic or external positive market sentiments. Despite the indices on Wall Street being up on the higher than expected markit services PMI as well as ISM-non manufacturing PMI, it was unable to uplift sentiments in Jakarta. Market participants seem to wait & see in the first week of May 2014, evidenced by the reduced trading volume and value of transactions.

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Indonesia Investments presents a selection of corporate earnings reports (covering the first quarter of 2014) 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. The tables display both net profit (loss) and revenues, together with year-on-year (yoy) growth.

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The benchmark Indonesia stock index (IHSG or Jakarta Composite Index) moved sideways on Monday's trading day (05/05) influenced by Indonesia's disappointing GDP growth result in the first quarter of 2014 in combination with mixed Asian stock indices. At the start of the day, the index was up as investors believed that the Q1-2014 GDP growth result would be in line with expectations. However, after Statistics Indonesia announced the growth rate, the IHSG fell, although stayed in the green zone.

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Mostly declining Asian stock indices, led by Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HSI) and the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite, had a negative influence on the performance of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) on Wednesday (23/04). Moreover, today's sharp rupiah depreciation contributed to the 0.10 percent decline to 4,893.15 points. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.94 percent to 11,630 per US dollar.

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Despite sharp rupiah depreciation and generally falling Asian stock indices, the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) managed to climb 0.12 percent to 4,898.21 points on Tuesday (22/04). Factors that contributed to push the IHSG into green territory were dividend payment announcements and optimism regarding companies' financial performances in the first quarter of 2014. Foreign investors accounted for 34 percent of today’s total trading, recording net buying of IDR 1 trillion (USD $87.7 million).

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