Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines China

  • Foreign Visitor Arrivals to Indonesia Increase 7.2% in Semester I-2013

    The number of foreign tourists that visited Indonesia in the first six months of 2013 grew 7.2 percent to 4.15 million compared to the same period in 2012. Elka Pangestu, minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, said that there has been a significant surge in visitors from Asia and the Middle East. Foreign visitor arrivals originating from the United Arab Emirates rose 91 percent, followed by Saudi Arabia (22.8 percent), China (19.2 percent), Egypt (17.1 percent) and Hong Kong (16 percent).

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  • Indonesia's Economic Growth Expected at 6.1% in Semester I-2013

    According to Finance minister Chatib Basri, the Indonesian government expects the country's gross domestic product (GDP) to have grown by 6.1 percent in the first six months of 2013. This forecast falls short of the government's 6.3 percent GDP growth assumption in the state budget (APBN). Basri stated that the lower outcome is due to global factors, such as slowing economic growth in China and India. But the government's assumption is more optimistic than the forecast of the central bank, which expects growth between 5.1 and 5.9 percent.

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  • Asian Development Bank Downgrades Growth Forecasts for Asia

    In its latest report, titled Asian Development Outlook Supplement, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has downgraded its forecast for economic growth in both 2013 and 2014 for developing Asia due to weak demand from industrial countries and slowing economic growth in China. The ADB revised down its growth forecast for developing Asia by 0.3 percent to 6.3 percent in 2013 and 6.4 percent in 2014. The Manila-based development bank also expects commodity prices to fall sharper than previously estimated. 

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  • IMF: Asia's Economic Growth Promising but Dangers Lurk in 2013

    Although the International Monetary Fund (IMF) retains its positive outlook regarding Asia's economic growth for the foreseeable future, the institution warns that the enormous influx of foreign capital in recent years can result in a new bubble due to excessive growth in lending and property prices. Despite these concerns, the IMF expects Asia to grow 5.75 percent in 2013 and calls Asia the leader of global economic recovery, followed by the US and, lastly, Europe.

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  • IMF Optimistic About Economic Growth in the Asian Region

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its forecast for this year's economic growth in the ASEAN-5 countries (which comprises Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam) from an initial 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent. Next year, however, the IMF revised down its forecast for the region from 5.7 percent to 5.5 percent. In 2012, ASEAN-5 had experienced 6.1 percent of economic growth, up from 4.5 percent the previous year.

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  • Indonesia's Coal Production Projected to Rise Due to Increased Foreign Demand

    Indonesia's coal production is projected to increase 4.4 percent to 400 million tons this year, up from the government's initial forecast of 390 million tons. According to Bob Kamandanu, chairman of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (Asosiasi Pertambangan Batubara Indonesia, APBI), this growth will be spurred by increased demand from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan in June. The coal price is expected to increase accordingly in the middle of the year.

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  • Increased Imports and Declined Exports Result in Indonesia's Trade Deficit

    Exports have always been an important asset to Indonesia's economy. Throughout history, Indonesia recorded a continuous series of trade surpluses. In 2012, however, the country recorded its first ever trade deficit as imports rose (partly due to increased demand of the Indonesian people), while exports declined due to global turmoil and uncertainty. A trade deficit is a new phenomenon to Indonesians and has caused some anxiety in the country.

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Latest Columns China

  • Yuan Becomes Reserve Currency But Impact Will Be Limited

    Broad activity in the financial markets has been limited over the last few weeks, as holiday-thinned trading conditions have slowed volatility in most of the commonly watched assets. A large part of the reasoning behind this can be seen in the fact that market moving news headlines have not been seen and most investors are still looking for ways to identify the most likely direction to follow in the equities space.

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  • Economic Update Indonesia: November Inflation Expected at 0.2%

    After having experienced two consecutive months of deflation in September and October, Indonesia is expected to see inflation again in November, primarily on higher food prices (chicken meat and rice). Agus Martowardojo, Governor of Bank Indonesia, expects an inflation rate of 0.2 percent (month-on-month) in November. This would mean that inflation in full-year 2015 is likely to reach 3 percent (y/y), in line with earlier estimates and within - or perhaps slightly below - Bank Indonesia's target range of 3 - 5 percent (y/y) of inflation in 2015.

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  • Economy of Indonesia: Economic Growth at 4.73% y/y in Q3-2015 - Analysis

    Indonesia's economic performance in the third quarter of 2015 was a bit disappointing as the 4.73 percent year-on-year (y/y) growth pace in Q3-2015 was slightly below market expectations at 4.8 percent (y/y). On a positive note, however, Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated from the six-year low of 4.67 percent (y/y) in the preceding quarter. A look at the table below shows that Indonesia's third quarter GDP growth rarely outpaces growth in the second quarter. This is a hopeful sign indeed.

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  • World Bank Releases October 2015 Indonesia Economic Quarterly

    Today (22/10), the World Bank released the October 2015 edition of its flagship Indonesia Economic Quarterly, titled "In Times of Global Volatility". In the report the World Bank states that despite current ongoing global uncertainties (caused by looming monetary tightening in the USA and China's economic slowdown), which make macroeconomic management difficult in the year ahead, pro-active government action could offset the negative impact and may help to boost growth.

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  • China to Build Indonesia's High-Speed Railway Jakarta-Bandung Project

    Last week it was officially announced that China Railway International Co. Ltd, subsidiary of China Railway Group Ltd, together with a consortium consisting of Indonesian state-owned enterprises (which include Pilar Sinergi BUMN Indonesia, Wijaya Karya, Kereta Api, and Jasa Marga) will build Indonesia's first ever high-speed railway, valued at over USD $5 billion, between the capital city of Jakarta and Bandung (in West Java), a route that stretches for approximately 150 km.

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  • Studying Abroad More Expensive for Indonesians as Rupiah Weakens

    Indonesia's heavily depreciated rupiah makes it more difficult for Indonesians to study abroad or to send their children to universities abroad without having the financial aid in the form of a scholarship. For those that are thinking of making such a decision, they need to take into account the performance of the Indonesian rupiah as well as the inflation outlook in the country of destination. So far in 2015, the Indonesian rupiah has depreciated 18 percent against the US dollar, 9 percent against the euro, 14 percent against China's yuan, and 2.4 percent against the Australian dollar.

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  • Indonesia Accepts China's Proposal for High-Speed Railway Jakarta-Bandung

    China has won a contract to build a high-speed railway between Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta and Bandung (West Java), beating Japan along the way. Earlier this month, the Indonesian government unexpectedly decided to decline proposals from Japan and China for the construction of a multi-billion high-speed railway between both cities as these proposals included financial assistance or a guarantee from the Indonesian government. Moreover, Indonesia considered a super-fast train unnecessary on the relatively short route (150 km).

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  • Fed Stance Could Bring Relief for Indonesian Stocks

    For those who follow Indonesian stock markets, it is no mystery that the trend have not been encouraging or supportive in the year 2015. Several important stock benchmarks that track equity performance for the region show year-to-date losses of 30% or more, and this has led many investors to steer clear of the emerging markets space until things start to stabilize.

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  • Asian Development Bank Cuts Economic Growth Outlook 2015 & 2016

    In the latest update of its flagship publication Asian Development Outlook 2015, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said softer economic growth prospects of China and India in combination with slow recovery in the major industrial markets were reason why the ADB has cut its economic growth forecast for developing Asia in 2015 and 2016. The ADB now estimates GDP growth in developing Asia at 5.8 percent (y/y) in 2015 and 6.0 percent (y/y) in 2016, down from previous GDP growth forecasts of 6.3 percent (y/y) for both years.

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  • Why Moody’s Investors Service Cut its Forecast for Indonesia’s Economic Growth?

    Global credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service cut its forecast for economic growth in Indonesia this year from five percent (y/y) to 4.7 percent (y/y) due to the perceived hard landing of China’s economy in combination with sluggish conditions in Japan and the Eurozone. Weak demand from China, the world’s second-largest economy and the top trading partner of Indonesia, is expected to continue to plague Indonesian exports and earnings.

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