Up to Wednesday (15/05/13), 69 Indonesian companies have announced to pay out dividends for the financial year 2012 to their shareholders, totaling a combined amount of IDR 64.1 trillion (USD 6.57 billion). This amount is equivalent to 41 percent of 2012's net profit of the 69 companies. In the weeks ahead, it is expected that more companies will announce dividend payouts. In 2012, more than one hundred listed companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) paid out dividends (of a total number of 462 listed companies at end 2012).

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Electronic City Indonesia (ECI), a leading electronics retailer in Indonesia, plans to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in June 2013. According to the company's website, Electronic City is Indonesia's first modern electronic convenience store, specialized in selling electronic products for Indonesia's middle class and elite. Through the IPO, the company hopes to raise about USD $150 million which will be used for capital expenditure.

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Indonesian newspaper Investor Daily reported that stocks at the Indonesia Stock Exchange are still relatively cheap compared to regional stock indices. Currently, the price to earnings ratio (P/E ratio) of Indonesia's main index is about 18. In contrast, South Korea's Kospi index amounts to 34, Japan's Nikkei 28, Taiwan's Taiex 23, and Philippines' PSE stands at 23 times earnings. As the Indonesian economy as well as its companies' profit figures are projected to grow, the P/E is expected to fall to 16 this year.

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Wijaya Karya Beton (Wika Beton), a company that specializes in the precast concrete industry, is planning to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange this year. The company, which has appointed Mandiri Sekuritas as its underwriter, aims to raise about IDR 1 trillion (USD $103 million) through the IPO. Originally, its IPO was planned to be conducted in 2014. However, the company prefers to take advantage of current positive market sentiments.

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PT Semen Baturaja Tbk, a state-owned cement producer, will offer 20 to 35 percent of its equity to the public when it conducts its initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in June or July 2013. Initially, the Indonesian cement company was planning to conduct the IPO in 2012 but disagreement within the House of Representatives (DPR) - the government institution that needs to approve the IPO - resulted in a temporary postponement.

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In the period April-June 2013, at least 13 Indonesian companies are planning to pay the final dividends for book year 2012. It is expected that this number will rise in the weeks ahead as there are still companies that need to hold the annual general meeting (AGM), in which dividend payouts are decided. Last year, more than one hundred listed companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange paid out dividends (of a total number of 462 listed companies at end 2012).

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In Indonesian media it was reported today that the Blue Bird Group, Indonesia's largest taxi services group, picked Credit Suisse AG and UBS AG as underwriters for its initial public offering (IPO), which is assumed to take place in the second or third quarter of this year (initially the IPO was planned for the first half of 2013). Through this IPO, in which 20 to 40 percent of its equity will be sold to the public, the taxi company targets to collect about US $250 million.

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Garuda Indonesia (GIAA), one of Indonesia's biggest airlines, posted a 100 percent increase in net profit to US $145.4 million in 2012 from US $72.7 million a year earlier. Operating profit of the company rose 82 percent to US $110.8 million from US $64.2 million in 2011. These numbers were supported by a 19.6 percent increase in passengers from 17.1 million in 2011 to 20.4 million last year, while its seat load factor rose to 75.9 percent from a previous 75.2 percent.

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Director of Corporate Valuation of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG), Hoesen, said that the stock exchange expects 150 companies to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) on the IHSG within the next five years. In other words, an average of 30 newly-listed companies per year. Also, the amount of domestic investors in Indonesia is expected to increase to become one percent (of the 240 million-numbering population).

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Yesterday, Trans Power Marine made a solid debut on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG). The Indonesian shipping company listed 15 percent of its shares in the initial public offering (IPO) for the price of IDR 230 per share. At the end of the trading day, its shares had surged by 50 percent to IDR 345 (US $0.04). In total, the company gained IDR 90.85 billion (US $9.4 million) through the IPO. These funds will be used to buy new vessels.

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Despite technical indicators suggesting further upward movement of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG), a positive performance of the index was blocked by external factors. Several Asian stock indices were down responding to Markit's lower US manufacturing PMI (slipping to 55.5 from 57.1 in February 2014). Similarly, China and the Eurozone's manufacturing data showed slowing growth. Continued appreciation of the rupiah exchange rate managed to limit the decline of the IHSG.

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At the start of the new week, Indonesia's benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) was able to continue to climb, supported by positive Asian indices. Today, investors took advantage of discounted stocks in Asia as markets had fallen after the Federal Reserve's announcement last week that the quantitative easing program would be wound down further as well as a possible US interest rate hike in 2015 and 2016. However, the IHSG was also vulnerable to profit taking. Therefore, today's gain was limited.

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The US Federal Reserve's plan to increase interest rates is a serious threat to the stock and bonds markets of emerging markets, including Indonesia, in 2014. The higher Fed Fund rate will result in a high cost bonds-climate in Indonesia. The Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday (19/03) that it continues to cut its quantitative easing program (QE3) by USD $10 billion in March 2014 as well as aims for an interest rate hike six months after the 'tapering' has ended. With the current pace, QE3 is expected to end in December 2014.

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We expected that Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index (the country's benchmark stock index also known as IHSG) would continue to weaken on Wednesday's trading day (19/03) but net buying by foreign investors managed to push the index back into green territory. During the first two days of this week, the IHSG fell as euphoria over Joko Widodo's announcement to run for president in the 2014 elections faded. Last week, the market showed that they approve of Widodo as the IHSG climbed 3.23 percent on Friday (14/03).

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Previously we were hoping that if global stock indices would turn positive, it could limit the fall of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) as the 'Jokowi effect' has definately worn off. On Tuesday (18/03), investors continued to engage in profit taking causing the IHSG to plunge 1.45 percent to 4,805.61 points. While most Asian indices were up, influenced by rising indices on Wall Street and in Europe on the previous trading day (17/03), the IHSG deviated sharply from the Asian trend today.

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There were two options with regard to today's trading day (Monday 17 March 2014). First, the Jakarta Composite Index (Indonesia's benchmark stock index also known as IHSG) could rise further after its impressive 3.23 percent jump last Friday (14/03), and secondly, the bullish market could become vulnerable to profit taking as the 'Jokowi effect' tones down and no other factors could trigger positive market sentiments. It turned out to be the second option. Not even sharp rupiah appreciation could push the index in the green zone.

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Despite technical indicators pointing toward a potential rise of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG), foreign net selling on Wednesday's trading day (12/03) caused the 0.42 percent decline to 4,684.38 points. Only two sectors recorded a positive performance today: consumer goods and property. Companies that did particularly well were Danayasa Arthatama, Metropolitan Land, Agung Podomoro Land, Siantar Top, and Kedawung Setia Industrial.

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Although we advise investors to remain careful as any negative sentiment will be used as a valid reason for profit taking, Indonesia's benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) was up from the start of the trading day on Tuesday (11/03). The start of dividend payouts helped to offset concerns about possible interest rate hikes (in emerging markets) as well as the impact of weak indices on Wall Street and Europe on Monday (10/03). Asian stock indices, however, were positive on Tuesday, thus providing support for the IHSG.

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At the start of the week, Indonesia's benchmark stock index (the Jakarta Composite Index of IHSG) has the tendency to decline as market participants are eager to engage in profit taking. The release of China’s weak export data (resulting in a trade deficit) at the end of last week in combination with the widening current account deficit of Japan (and its slowing GDP growth) provided enough reasons for investors to opt for profit taking. Moreover, Asian stock markets were in the red and were thus unable to support the IHSG.

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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 February 2014 edition, a number of important topics that are monitored include Indonesia's inflation rate, the trade balance, the current account deficit, the IDR rupiah exchange rate, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Below is an excerpt of the newsletter:

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