Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines China

  • Government Aims to Limit Coal Production of Indonesia in 2014

    Chairman of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) Bob Kamandanu expects that Indonesia's coal production will decline about 5 percent to 400 million tons in 2014 after the government asked miners to scale back production rates in order to safeguard future domestic supplies as the country needs sufficient energy resources for its future energy supply. Amid low domestic demand, the government asked Indonesian coal mining companies to limit the country's total coal output at 397 million metric tons.

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  • Unexpected December 2013 Surplus Helps to Ease Indonesia's Trade Deficit

    Market participants were pleased to see the trade balance of Indonesia posting an unexpected USD $1.52 billion surplus in December 2013, almost twice as high than previous forecasts. This December surplus is the highest monthly surplus since December 2011. Exports rose 6.56 percent from November 2013 and 10.33 percent from December 2012, while imports rose 2.04 percent from November 2013 but declined 0.79 percent from December 2012. Although showing an easing trend, Indonesia posted a trade deficit of USD $4.06 billion in full 2013.

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  • IMF Raises Its Forecast for US and Global Economic Growth in 2014

    On Tuesday (21/01), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sent a positive message to the world as it slightly raised its forecast for global economic growth in 2014. The main reason for this upward revision is the improving economy of the USA. According to the IMF, the US economy will grow 2.8 percent in 2014 (0.2 percentage points higher than the IMF's previous outlook released in October 2013). Due to stronger US growth, the global economy is now expected to expand by 3.7 percent (0.1 percent up from its previous forecast).

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  • Amid Improving Global Economy, Indonesia Optimistic about GDP Growth

    Forecasts for economic growth in Indonesia in 2014 are still optimistic. The government of Indonesia targets a 6 percent growth rate, while the country's central bank (Bank Indonesia) expects GDP growth in the range of 5.8 to 6.2 percent. Although these forecasts clearly fall short of the target set in the country's National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN) - which mentions annual GDP growth of between 6.3 and 6.8 percent - the forecasts are still rather positive given the global uncertain and volatile economic context in recent years.

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  • International Monetary Fund: Commodity Market Monthly January

    Last Friday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its January 2014 Commodity Market Monthly. This report provides an update on global commodity prices. According to the report, global commodity prices rose 2.4 percent in December 2013, with increases in most main indices. During 2013, commodity prices increased 0.8 percent, with gains concentrated in the energy sector, up 3 percent from December 2012. Metals prices declined 7 percent due to continued increases in new capacity.

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  • India's Tata Steel Plans to Enter Indonesia with Downstream Products

    Tata Steel Limited, the Indian multinational steel producer, recently announced its ambition to penetrate the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia. Although it remains unclear whether the company intends to establish a factory in Indonesia, an official of the company said that Tata Steel wants to enter Indonesia with downstream products in 2014 or 2015 as it sees potential in Southeast Asia's largest economy and aims to improve profitability by increasing efficiency in the operatives in the Asia-Pacific.

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  • Chatib Basri Comments on Indonesia's Economic Performance in 2013

    Indonesia's Finance Minister Chatib Basri expects that Indonesia's economic growth in 2013 will reach 5.7 percent, significantly below the government's initial target of 6.3 percent. Basri announced his expectation at the government's economic evaluation and projection meeting. According to Basri, Indonesia's economic growth is stable, despite its slowing trend. Among the G20 member countries, only China will post higher GDP growth (7.8 percent up to the third quarter). Indonesia's inflation rate is expected to reach 8.5 percent (yoy) at the year-end.

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  • IMF: Slowing Growth and Widening Macro-Imbalances in Indonesia

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) detects a slowdown in GDP growth in major emerging market economies and decline in commodity prices, and more recently, a reversal in push factors tied to a prospective exit from extraordinarily easy global monetary conditions, has put pressure on Indonesia’s balance of payments and heightened its vulnerability to shocks. Domestic policy accommodation and rising energy subsidies have also given rise to increased external and fiscal imbalances.

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  • Developing Asia Growth Outlook Steady as Industrial Economies Firm

    An improving economic growth outlook in both Japan and the USA paired with stronger-than- expected growth in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) support a steady growth outlook for developing Asia, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. The Asian Development Outlook Supplement, released on Wednesday (11/12), forecasts growth of 6.0 percent in 2013 for ADB’s 45 developing member countries, improving to 6.2 percent in 2014. The forecasts are unchanged from the Asian Development Outlook Update issued in October.

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  • OECD: Strong Growth in Indonesia but Takes Time to be High-Income Economy

    The latest report of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), titled "Structural Policy Challenges in Indonesia", mentions that Indonesia - with an annual GDP growth projection of about 6 percent - is estimated to be the country with the highest level of economic growth among the ASEAN countries between 2014 and 2018. The report is positive about the region's economic future that lies ahead, particularly China, despite the global crisis having managed to slow down economic expansion.

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Latest Columns China

  • Losing its Momentum: the Indonesia Stock Exchange Falls 1.04 Percent

    After continuously reaching new record-high levels last week, the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) finally had to give up some of its gain and closed 1.04 percent lower. Declining Asian stock markets (excluding Japan's main index) and fears that the IHSG had already reached a (too) high level impacted on today's result. Market participants, who recently confirmed good corporate annual results of many companies by buying, now engaged in profit taking.

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  • Indonesian Palm Oil Companies Report Declining Net Profit

    Indonesian companies engaged in the production of a variety of agricultural products, such as palm oil, experienced a rather poor year in 2012 regarding net profit. Global economic turmoil has reduced the world's consumption of palm oil in both the developed markets and developing markets. In particular decreased demand from China, the world’s biggest buyer after India, made a negative impact on the balance sheets of Indonesian companies.

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  • Results of Italian Elections Turn Most Stock Indices Downwards

    On Tuesday's trading day, the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) was not able to maintain its record breaking upward movement. China's possible decision to limit credit growth in the property sector and the election in Italy contributed significantly to the decline of the IHSG. Moreover, it was influenced by poor openings of European stock markets. Investors thus decided to engage in profit taking, while waiting for further global developments.

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  • A Small Loss for the Indonesia Stock Exchange Despite Positive Global Sentiments

    After rallying for three days to try to end on a new resistance level, the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) finally had to retreat. As we suspected, the index weakened after its record high. Moreover, American and European indices were weak on Thursday, thus influencing the performance of the IHSG on Friday. Lastly, a number of Asian companies reported weak corporate reports that subsequently impacted on Asian stock indices, including the IHSG.

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