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Today's Headlines China

  • Indonesia Stock Market & Rupiah Update: Oil & China

    Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) rose 0.24 percent to 4,708.62 points, while the Indonesian rupiah appreciated 0.52 percent to IDR 13,439 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index) on Monday (22/02) amid mostly rising emerging market stocks and appreciating emerging market currencies. Investor appetite for riskier assets was triggered by higher global oil prices and rallying Chinese shares (brought about by optimism after the appointment of a new chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

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  • Demand for Indonesian Crude Palm Oil Fell in January 2016

    Again, crude palm oil (CPO) shipments from Indonesia - the world's largest CPO producer and exporter - declined. Based on the latest data from the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (Gapki), palm oil exports from Indonesia fell 16 percent on a month-on-month (m/m) basis to 2.1 million tons in January 2016. This decline was mainly caused by falling palm oil demand from the key export countries China and India.

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  • Coal Industry Indonesia Update: No End to Slumping Coal Prices

    There remains little hope to see rebounding coal prices soon. Indonesia's benchmark thermal coal price (Harga Batubara Acuan, or HBA), a monthly price set by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, fell another 4.29 percent month-to-month (m/m) to a new record low of USD $50.92 per metric ton (FOB) in February 2016 from USD $53.20 in the preceding month. Coal prices have difficulty to rise amid low crude oil and gas prices, while renewable energy sources are gaining popularity. Meanwhile, demand from China and India for Indonesian coal is falling.

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  • Japanese and Chinese Economic Data in the Spotlight

    This morning various economic data were released in Asia, most importantly data from China and Japan. China posted a record USD $63.3 billion trade surplus in January 2016, while Japan saw its gross domestic product (GDP) contract more-than-expected at 1.4 percent (y/y) in the fourth quarter of 2015. However, despite weak GDP growth data Japanese stocks managed to surge, while Chinese stocks tumbled after the record monthly trade surplus. How is that possible? And what about Indonesian assets today?

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  • Currency News Update: Indonesian Rupiah Under Pressure

    The Indonesian rupiah has been under pressure so far today (03/02) on concern that falling oil prices drag down other commodity prices, hence negatively affecting Indonesia's export performance. Yesterday, a global selloff in stocks occurred as oil prices were again touching the USD $30 per barrel mark. Emerging market currencies too are under pressure. The Indonesian rupiah had depreciated 0.79 percent to IDR 13,799 per US dollar (Bloomberg Dollar Index) by 12:55 pm local Jakarta time.

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  • Stock Market Update Indonesia: Asia Extends Selloff

    Asian stocks extended declines on Wednesday morning (03/02) as oil prices are again flirting with the USD $30 per barrel mark. Overnight, Brent crude fell 4.5 percent to USD $32 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate plunged 5.5 percent to just below the USD $30 per barrel mark. In combination with concern about the sluggish economy of China it led to another round of global selloff. Overnight the Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.8 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 1.9 percent, while the Nasdaq composite index lost 2.2 percent.

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  • Indonesia Stock Market & Rupiah Update: China, Japan & Oil

    Asian stocks were mixed on Monday (01/02). However, Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index rose 0.21 percent to 4,624.63 points after a volatile trading day (one hour before trading closed, the index was down more than one percent). Furthermore, the Indonesian rupiah appreciated markedly, while there occurred inflows into bonds. It seems that Japan's surprise move to introduce negative interest rates managed to offset the negative impact of weak manufacturing activity in China and falling crude oil prices.

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  • Update on Indonesia's Steel Manufacturing Industry

    Demand for steel in Indonesia is expected to rise in 2016 on enhanced infrastructure development. However, the majority of steel - approximately 60 percent of total demand in Indonesia - is still being imported from abroad (primarily China). Gusti Putu Suryawirawan, Director for Base Metal Industries at Indonesia's Industry Ministry, said the government is eager to support the domestic steel manufacturing industry in order to avert further domination of foreign manufactured steel on the Indonesian market.

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  • Indonesia Stock Market Update: China GDP & Oil in Focus

    The spotlight is - as usual - on China today as the world's second-largest economy released various macroeconomic data and markets' reaction toward these data will determine where stocks are heading for today. Wall Street will not influence Asian markets because this US financial and investment community was closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday. Meanwhile, the crude oil price remains low around USD $29 per barrel.

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  • Global Selloff Continues on Low Crude Oil and China Turmoil

    Asian stocks are again in deep red territory on Thursday (14/01), led by Chinese shares (which are on track to enter a bear market) as well as Japanese shares. It means that the rebound that had occurred earlier this week - caused by positive export data from China - was short-lived. The continued slide of oil prices (below USD $30 per barrel) and turmoil in China cause money to flow away from equity and fragile emerging market currencies.

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Latest Columns China

  • Indonesia's Main Stock Index up 1.70%, Europe and Wall Street Mixed

    IHSG - Indonesia Stock Exchange - 10 July 2013 - Indonesian Index - Indonesia Investments

    After most European and American stock indices had been positive for a couple of days in a row, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) finally found its way up again. On Wednesday (10/07), the index rose 1.70 percent to 4,478.64 points. Moreover, on the previous day, Asian stock indices had shown a good performance and this convinced investors to buy Indonesian assets (which have fallen considerably recently) the next day. Despite foreigners still being net sellers of Indonesian stocks, a number of big cap stocks rose sharply.

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  • Amid Weak Asian Indices, Indonesia's Main Stock Index Falls 3.68%

    Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) fell 3.68 percent to 4,433.63 on Monday's trading day (08/07). This current level is the lowest level of the IHSG since 26 June 2013. Of the 473 listed companies, 263 were down, 21 were up and the remainder did not move. Most Asian indices fell due to concerns about China's credit crisis that may impact on the country's economic growth and that the positive US employment report will affect continuation of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 1.6 percent.

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  • Indonesian, American and European Stock Indices on Wednesday (03/07)

    IHSG - Indonesia Stock Exchange - 3 July 2013 - Indonesian Index - Indonesia Investments

    Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) took another large blow on Wednesday (03/07). The index fell 3.20 percent to 4,577.15 points as investors were worried after reading the revised outlook of the World Bank. The institution downgraded its forecast for economic growth in Indonesia in 2013 from 6.2 percent to 5.9 percent. Higher inflation, because of the recent subsidized fuel price hike, is expected to result in lower domestic consumption. The IDR rupiah posted a slight weakening to IDR 9,941.

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  • Amid Rising Asian Markets Indonesia's IHSG falls 0.86% on Monday

    Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) fell 0.86 percent to 4,777.45 on Monday (01/07) as eight of the nine sectoral indices weakened. Only Indonesia's finance index managed to post an upward movement. Several big cap stocks ended the trading day with large losses, such as Unilever Indonesia (-3.90%) or Telekomunikasi Indonesia (-3.11%). The consumption sector was one of the worst performing sectors in Indonesia yesterday as can be seen in Indofood Sukses Makmur's shares, which fell 6.80 percent.

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  • Recovery on the Indonesia Stock Exchange: IHSG Index up 3.82 Percent

    It has been a long time since we have reported a good day at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). But finally on Wednesday (26/06) Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) made a great jump upwards, supported by American and European stock indices that were up on Tuesday (25/06) due to positive economic data from the United States. Investors used this positive context to engage in stock trading. Moreover, Indonesia's stocks are currently - technically speaking - cheap and thus attractive.

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  • Indonesia's Crude Palm Oil Sector; CPO Price Expected to Rebound

    The price of crude palm oil (CPO), which has been under downward pressure for a long time as global turmoil lingers on, started to rebound due to falling stockpiles in Indonesia and Malaysia. Reserves of the commodity fell because of weather conditions and because of an increase in demand ahead of the Islamic fasting month (Ramadhan). The price of crude palm oil is expected to hit the USD $900 per ton mark in late 2013, up from USD $828-865 per ton in May and June. This price recovery is expected to continue.

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  • Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG) Extends its Losing Streak on Monday

    Apparently the stormy and dark clouds above the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) are still present. Most foreign investors continued to sell their Indonesian assets, resulting in another day of losses for the main stock index of Indonesia (IHSG). Not even clarity about the price hike of subsidized fuel could ease investors' minds (fuel prices were increased last Saturday after months of speculation). For the last two weeks negative sentiments have coloured the stock exchange and profit taking has been the result.

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  • Another Day of Losses for Indonesia's Main Stock Index (IHSG)

    On Friday's trading day (21/06), Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) was still under the spell of the unrest that emerged because of Ben Bernanke's announcement of a possible stop to the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program in 2014. Moreover, weak manufacturing data from China also continued to cause negative market sentiments. The IHSG fell 2.48 percent to 4,515.37, its lowest closing since 11 February 2013. Foreign investors sold about USD $228 million more stocks than they bought.

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  • Federal Reserve and China Cause Global Distress Among Investors

    Concerns about an ending to the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program and falling industrial activity in China as well as China's credit crisis made many investors decide to sell assets on stock markets around the world on Thursday (20/06). Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) was just one of the many victims of this global unrest. The index weakened 3.68 percent to 4,629.99 points as foreign investors mostly sold their Indonesian assets, resulting in significant lowered share prices of Indonesia's big cap companies.

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  • Indonesia Stock Index Continues Recovery after Fuel Subsidy Decision

    Despite mixed Asian stock indices because of negative news from China and Japan, certainty about the increase in the price of Indonesia’s subsidized fuel after the plenary meeting of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Monday (17/06) formed a pillar of support for Indonesia’s main stock index (IHSG) on Tuesday’s trading day (18/06). Investors took the opportunity to buy stocks, particularly Indonesia’s big cap stocks, after these had experienced significant falls last week due to profit taking actions amid an uncertain market.

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