Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines USA

  • Never a Dull Day with Donald Trump in Office

    With Donald Trump in office there exists huge volatility in terms of politics, foreign diplomatic relations, and trade-related policies. One day the US is on the brink of a "fire and fury" war with North Korea, then the next day Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agree to meet for talks. One day the US shocks the world by announcing steep steel and aluminum import tariffs, the next day trading partners are invited to negotiate lower tariffs. One day Rex Tillerson is US Secretary of State, the next he is fired by Trump through Twitter.

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  • US February Payrolls Soar 313,000, Jobless Rate Holds at 4.1%

    Rapidly rising US stock futures and a sell-off in the bond market. These are the results of an impressive US jobs report, released by the US Labor Department on Friday morning (American time) or evening (Indonesian time). The US economy added 313,000 jobs in February 2018, the highest increase since October 2015. A huge rise in construction jobs was one of the key supporting factors. Meanwhile, the US unemployment rate stayed at 4.1 percent for a 5th straight month.

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  • US Confirms Preliminary Anti-Dumping Duty on Indonesian Biodiesel

    Wilbur Ross, US Secretary of Commerce, stated that the US Department of Commerce issued an affirmative final anti-dumping duty on biodiesel shipments that originate from Indonesia. The statement was released overnight (21/02). The decision was made to improve the situation of local US biodiesel producers as their business was undermined by cheap biodiesel imports from Indonesia (and Argentina).

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  • Biodiesel Producers in Indonesia Looking for New Export Markets

    Indonesian biodiesel producers are in search of new export markets after the USA announced to introduce heavy anti-dumping duties and anti-subsidy rates on palm oil-based biodiesel imports from Indonesia. The Trade Ministry said Indonesia exported USD $255.6 million worth of biodiesel to the USA in 2016. This constitutes 89.2 percent of Indonesia's total biodiesel shipments.

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  • Indonesia Hit by US Anti-Subsidy Duties & Loses WTO Appeal

    In a final ruling, released overnight (09/11), the US Commerce Department set anti-subsidy rates in the range of 34.45 - 64.73 percent for palm oil-based biodiesel imports that originate from Indonesia. This final ruling was slightly lighter than the preliminary 41.06 - 68.28 percent range that was set in August 2017.

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  • USA Imposes Anti-Dumping Duties on Biodiesel Imports from Indonesia

    On Monday (23/10) the US Commerce Department issued a preliminary ruling and decided to set anti-dumping duties of 50.71 percent on biodiesel imports from Indonesia. Meanwhile, the USA also set anti-dumping duties, ranging between 54.36 to 70.05 percent, on soy-based biodiesel imports from Argentina.

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  • Awaiting Final US Ruling over Indonesia's Alleged Biodiesel Dumping

    Stakeholders in Indonesia's biodiesel industry are waiting for the final ruling of the US Commerce Department regarding the dumping of biodiesel products on the American market. The USA accuses Indonesia and Argentina of subsidizing biodiesel exports, hence leading to uncompetitive US vegetable oils (particularly soybean oil).

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  • USA Plans to Impose 40% Anti-Dumping Duties on Indonesian Biodiesel

    The US government plans to impose 40 percent import duties on biodiesel products that are shipped from Indonesia as the USA accuses the world's largest palm oil producer and exporter of dumping biodiesel products on the American market. As a result US vegetable oils (particularly soybean oil) lack competitiveness.

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  • Unprecedented North Korea Provocation Hits Asian Markets

    Early this morning (Tuesday 29 August) North Korea fired another ballistic missile test. This time, however, the missile went over the northern part of Japan, an apparent attempt to provoke those who oppose North Korea's test program. The test did not lead to damage or injuries and broke into three pieces before plunging in the Pacific Ocean. While the world is now particularly waiting for a response from the USA, markets have already responded.

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  • Asian Stock & Currency Markets Digest Federal Reserve Minutes

    The latest Federal Reserve minutes, released on Wednesday (05/07), injected a degree of uncertainty into markets. The minutes, covering the Federal Open Market Committee's June meeting, show a fragmented Fed that is split on when to start shrinking the Fed's massive $4.5 trillion balance sheet as well as on the inflation slowdown.

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Latest Columns USA

  • Strong Rebound in Indonesia's IHSG, BI Rate Hike Well-Received

    On Friday (14/06), the main stock index of Indonesia (IHSG) jumped 3.32 percent to 4,760.74 points as financial market participants were optimistic about the effects of the higher central bank interest rate that was announced the day before. Moreover, Indonesia's IHSG was supported by a green wave across Asian stock markets, which was partly due to a strong rebound in markets in the United States on Thursday (13/06). Stocks in Indonesia's banking and property sectors were the top-gainers on Friday's trading day.

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  • Indonesia Stock Exchange Falls Amid Domestic and International Concerns

    Indonesia Stock Market Analysis IHSG 13 June 2013 RMA van der Schaar - Richard van der Schaar

    On Thursday (13/06), Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) could not continue the recovery it had shown on the previous day. The index fell 1.92% to 4,607.66 points amid international and domestic concerns. Investors are worried about central banks' policies and the World Bank's downgrade of global economic growth in 2013. On the domestic side, negative sentiments were brought on by the fuel subsidy issue (and its inflationary impact), the weakening rupiah, the BI rate hike, falling foreign exchange reserves, and the trade deficit.

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  • Indonesia's Main Stock Index (IHSG) Continues its Fall on Tuesday

    For three consecutive days, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) had to cope with significant losses. On Tuesday (11/06), the index fell 3.50 percent to 4,609.95 points, considerably below its record high level of 5,214 on 20 May 2013. Foreign investors recorded a net sell of IDR 3.98 trillion (USD $406.1 million) as domestic conditions in Indonesia are unstable. Moreover, investors are concerned about governments (USA and Japan) that want to slow down their stimulus programs as various economic data are showing positive outcomes.

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  • Last Week of May: Continued Upward Movement or a Correction?

    Throughout the month of May, the level of volatility of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) has been remarkable and interesting. At the start of the month we were shocked by Standard & Poor's downgrade of Indonesia's credit rating outlook as well as Moody's warning to take similar measures as Indonesia had been slow to deal with its subsidized fuel policy. These issues were able to drag the index down. Moreover, the threat of higher inflation triggers concerns that the index would show its traditional fall in the month of May.

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  • High, Higher, Highest? An Overview of the Performance of Indonesia's IHSG

    Last week, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) moved remarkably well. The index managed to set a new record high at 5145.68 points on Friday (17/05/13) as it was pushed up by its strongest pillar of support, the consumer sector. Indonesia's consumer sector rose as much as 8.23 percent last week, while the largest obstacle to growth was the country's mining sector, which experienced a correction of 3.31 percent. What are the underlying reasons of last week's gain towards yet another record high? And is it sustainable?

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  • Import-Export Trade and Investment between USA and Indonesia

    Although the United States continues its traditional focus on direct investments in developed countries, primarily in Western Europe, there has been a significant rise in US investments in Indonesia in recent years. Whereas US investments in the developed economies of Western Europe is mostly found in the financial sector and through holding companies, in developing Asia, the US is more focused on the manufacturing sector due to lower production costs. In the last two years, the US emerged as the second-largest investor in Indonesia after Japan.

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  • The Influence of S&P's Outlook Downgrade on the Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG)

    The Jakarta composite index (IHSG), Indonesia's main stock index, was mixed last week. During the week it lost 53 points or 1.04 percent to finish at the level of 4,925.48. A number of blue chips, such as Bank Mandiri and Astra International, were hit by large sell-offs as the downgrade of S&P's debt outlook for Indonesia's BB+ rating kicked in and triggered serious negative market sentiments. Last week, I already discussed the 'Bloody May' phenomenon, the month that usually results in a correction.

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  • Amid Global Negative Sentiments Indonesia's Main Index (IHSG) Falls 0.32%

    On Friday's trading day, the Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG) started in an upward direction. However, as it felt the impact of European stock indices, that mostly opened lower, the IHSG weakened 0.32 percent to 4,978.51 points. Moreover, most other Asian indices were down (except for Hong Kong's HSI) and thus contributed to the IHSG's fall. Market participants also seem to fear the annual 'May Cycle' of the IHSG, which involves the traditional large-scale selling of IHSG stocks.

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  • Domestic and Foreign Direct Investment in Indonesia Grows Strong in Q1-2013

    In Quarter I 2013 (January-March), total investment in Indonesia increased 30.6 percent to IDR 93.0 trillion (US $9.58 billion) compared to the same period in 2012 according to data from the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal, abbreviated BKPM), a government institution. Of this total amount, about seventy percent is accounted for by foreign direct investment, while the remaining thirty percent constitutes domestic direct investment.

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  • Amid Mixed Markets the Indonesia Stock Index Gains 1.04 Percent

    Most of us expected the Jakarta composite index (IHSG) to weaken on Tuesday 16 April 2013 amid mixed Asian stock indices and significantly weakened American and European indices on Monday (that responded to reports about both China's slowing economic growth and weak economic figures of America). Moreover, bomb explosions at the finish line of the marathon of Boston were expected to complicate the performance of the IHSG. But concerns turned out in vain.

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