Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines China

  • Wall Street Selloff over Trade War Concerns Impacts on Asian Stocks

    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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  • Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index & Rupiah Down on Renewed Trade Fears

    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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  • Benchmark Coal Price of Indonesia Near Six-Year High in March 2018

    Indonesia's benchmark thermal coal price (Harga Batubara Acuan, or HBA) touched a multi-year high in March 2018. The HBA, which is determined by Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry on a monthly basis (and which is based on several global and domestic indexes), rose 1.2 percent month-on-month (m/m) to USD $101.86 per metric ton in March 2018, its highest position since May 2012.

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  • China's Slowing Economic Growth Negative for Indonesia

    The weakening growth trend of the Chinese economy may not have ended yet. Despite the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rebounding to 6.9 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017, its economy is expected to cool in 2018 as a government-led crackdown on debt risks and factory pollution drags on overall activity in the world's second-largest economy. This is a problem for Indonesia as well because China is Indonesia's biggest trading partner.

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  • Coal Mining Industry: Price Remains High on Robust Chinese Demand

    Coal demand remains high, particularly due to robust demand from China, the world's largest coal importer. This brings the projection for the full-year 2018 coal price to the range of USD $98.50 - $107.00 per metric ton. So far this year the coal price (ICE NewCastle Coal January 2018) surged around 4 percent, while in full-year 2017 the price had surged 57.09 percent.

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  • Coal Mining Update Indonesia: Price, Export & Consumption

    Coal imports into China are expected to recover in the last two months of the year and therefore various analysts say the coal price is able to touch beyond USD $97 per ton before the year-end. In October coal imports into China - the world's largest coal importer - had fallen by a whopping 24 percent (m/m) to 21.3 million tons due to the availability of plenty domestic coal supplies.

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  • Coal Mining Industry Indonesia: Exports to China on the Rise

    The value of Indonesia's coal exports to China during January-August 2017 reached USD $1.68 billion, up 63 percent compared to the export value of the commodity in the same period (to China) one year earlier (USD $1.03 billion) according to the Trade Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing.

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  • Improving Economy of China Positive for Indonesian Exports

    The economy of China grew 6.8 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the third quarter of 2017. An improving Chinese economy is important for the Indonesian economy as China is the biggest trading partner of Indonesia. Slightly over 10 percent of total Indonesian exports are shipped to China, the world's second-largest economy.

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  • China Interested to Develop Industrial Zone in North Kalimantan

    Several Chinese companies that are ranked in the Fortune 500 are exploring investment in Indonesia, including North Kalimantan, as part of their follow-up initiative after the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) that was held on 14–15 May 2017 in Beijing. This event, visited by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, is a platform for working out action plans for investment in the areas of infrastructure, energy and resources, production capacity, trade, financial cooperation, and the identification of major projects.

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  • Stock Market & Currency Indonesia: New Record after Holiday

    After the week-long holiday Indonesian stocks made an impressive return on Monday (03/07). Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index surged 1.38 percent to 5,910.24 points, another record high position, led by financial and telecommunication stocks. Investors were in the mood to buy Indonesian shares after the long holiday. Moreover, positive Chinese economic data and Indonesia's easing core inflation provided more reasons for investor appetite.

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Latest Columns China

  • Indonesia's Transition Year of 2015; Slowing GDP Growth & State Spending

    Indonesian Finance Minister Chatib Basri said that the country's economic growth in 2015 is targeted in the range of 5.5 to 6.3 percent. Amid further Federal Reserve tapering and possible interest rate hikes in the world's largest economy, chances of capital outflows from emerging markets (including Indonesia) are becoming larger. Basri said that these global conditions impact on GDP growth, the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate and inflation. Therefore, 2015 is a transition year, reflected by tighter economic projections and state spending.

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  • Profit Taking after Long Rally Causes Indonesian Stocks to Decline 10%

    After having recorded a five-day winning streak, Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) fell 0.10 percent to 4,892.29 points on Monday (21/04). The forming of a doji star and limited movement of the IHSG (due to reduced buying volume) implied that - without the publication of good news triggering positive market sentiments - the index would decline. Today's depreciation of the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate and mixed Asian indices were reasons for investors to engage in profit taking.

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  • Small Gain for Indonesian Stocks despite Weak China GDP Growth

    Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as the IHSG or Jakarta Composite Index) posted another small gain on Wednesday (16/04), thus extending its winning streak to four days. The index gained 0.06 percent to 4,873.01 points. Despite slowing GDP growth in China, a depreciating rupiah exchange rate (responding to slightly higher US chain store sales and expected higher US building permits as well as US manufacturing production) and foreign investors recording a net sell, the index stayed in the green zone.

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  • Most Emerging Asian Currencies Down on China's Slowing GDP Growth

    The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate moved within limited range on Wednesday. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the currency depreciated 0.07 percent to IDR 11,436 per US dollar. Since Thursday (10/04), the rupiah has had to cope with pressures as Indonesia's legislative election was unable to provide political certainty. On the other hand, the country's improved economic fundamentals - easing inflation and the narrowing current account deficit - have resulted in capital inflows, thus supporting the rupiah.

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  • Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate Up Ahead of Parliamentary Election

    Most emerging market currencies, including the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate, appreciated against the US dollar on Tuesday (08/04) due to carry trade (meaning the selling of low-yield currencies for higher-yielding assets) and expected stimulus from China's government to boost its economy (Chinese shares in fact gained 2.2 percent on this stimulus speculation). The rupiah appreciated 0.14 percent to IDR 11,289 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, partly due to variety of domestic factors.

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  • World Bank: East Asian Economies Expected to Grow Stably in 2014

    According to the latest East Asia Pacific Economic Update - the World Bank’s comprehensive review of the region’s economies which was released today (07/04) - developing countries in the East Asia Pacific region will see stable economic growth this year, bolstered by a recovery in high-income economies and the market’s modest response so far to the Federal Reserve’s tapering of its quantitative easing. Developing East Asia will grow by 7.1 percent this year, largely unchanged from 2013.

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  • Benchmark Stock Index of Indonesia Jumps 1.30% on Monday

    Despite various negative sentiments, Indonesia's benchmark stock index was able to post a 1.30 percent gain to 4,921.04 points on Monday (07/04). Due to last week's weak March US monthly jobs report, falling indices on Wall Street on Friday (04/04) impacted negatively on Asian indices today. On the domestic side, negative market sentiments were caused by the government's plan to raise royalties for coal miners working under a Mining Business License (IUP) to 10-13.5 percent as well as a luxury tax on cars and telecommunication gadgets.

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  • Positive Domestic Data Support Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index

    Previously we advised investors to be careful because various economic data that was to be released - both international and domestic - could reveal negative results and thus put great pressure on the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (IHSG or Jakarta Composite Index) on Tuesday (01/04). However, the data, particularly domestic data, were positive and made the IHSG jump 2.22 percent one day after the holiday on Monday (Nyepi or Hindu New Year). Investors used this context to purchase stocks, especially Indonesia's big cap stocks.

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  • Indonesian Rupiah and IHSG Strengthen on Yellen and Domestic Data

    At 15:00 local Jakarta time on Tuesday (01/04), the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate as well as the country's benchmark stock index (known as the IHSG or Jakarta Composite Index) have shown a positive performance so far. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the rupiah appreciated 0.64 percent to IDR 11,288 per US dollar, while the IHSG climbed 2.15 percent to 4,871.38. A number of internal and external factors contributed to this remarkable performance today.

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  • A Strong End of the Week for the Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate

    By the end of Friday's trading day (28/03), the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate appreciated 0.75 percent to IDR 11,361 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. At the end of March 2014, the rupiah is still the best-performing Asian currency this year, outperforming 24 emerging-market currencies that are tracked by Bloomberg. Since 31 December 2013, the rupiah appreciated nearly seven percent against the US dollar as an easing current account deficit and slowing inflation triggered capital inflows into Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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