Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Japan

  • Indonesian Finance Ministry Announces Samurai Bonds Issuance in Q4-2014

    According to Indonesian Finance Ministry’s State Bond Director Loto Srinaita Ginting, the government of Indonesia intends to issue more than USD $500 million worth of samurai bonds in the fourth quarter of 2014. Samurai bonds are yen-denominated bonds. However, Ginting provided no further details about the bonds issuance. The Finance Ministry also plans to issue IDR 20 trillion (USD $1.7 billion) worth of domestic retail bonds in September 2014 (but these bonds are only available to Indonesians).

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  • IMF: Asia Continues to Be the Engine of Global Economic Growth

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) assesses that the Asian region is still the world's most dynamic region in terms of economic growth. The IMF expects that Asia's economic growth will accelerate to 5.4 percent in 2014 despite the ongoing US Federal Reserve tapering of asset purchases. However, the IMF continued to stress the need for further structural reforms in Asia in an attempt to avert the negative impact of US tapering and future interest rate hikes. In 2013, the Asian region grew 5.2 percent.

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  • Preparing Strategies to Tackle the Japan-Indonesia Export Ban Conflict

    The government of Indonesia has been preparing strategies to face Japan's possible complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about Indonesia's recently introduced export ban of mineral ore (UU Minerba No. 4 - 2009). A special team from Indonesia's Trade Ministry, headed by Gusmardi Bustami, has been set up to handle the dispute. Japan feels forced to bring the export ban case to the WTO because its industry is highly dependent on the supply of certain raw Indonesian commodities, particularly nickel.

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  • Bappenas Expects Indonesia to Record a Trade Surplus in 2014

    Indonesian exports are expected to rise 6.7 percent to IDR 1,399.7 trillion (USD $123.9 billion) in 2014 as a number of advanced markets (including the United States) have been showing signs of improving economies (the calculation of the figures was done by the Ministry of National Development Planning also known as Bappenas). Increased demand from these advanced markets will result in more exports of Indonesian manufactured products. Indonesian exports of natural resources, on the contrary, are expected to slow.

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  • Indonesia Investments' Newsletter of 6 April 2014 Released

    On 06 April 2014, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website in the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic matters such as an analysis of March inflation and the February trade balance, the 2014 legislative election, a toll road construction tender, a possible dispute between Japan and Indonesia, Jakarta´s Giant Sea Wall, and more.

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  • Japan to World Trade Organization over Indonesia's Mineral Export Ban

    The government of Japan is most likely to file a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about Indonesia's recently introduced ban on the export of mineral ore (UU Minerba No. 4 - 2009). Although the WTO is yet to receive a formal letter of protest, Indonesian newspaper Investor Daily reported on Friday (04/04) that Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi has already received a letter from Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs in which the step was announced. Japan feels forced to bring the case to the WTO as its industry is affected by the ban.

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  • Economic Growth of Indonesia in 2014: Opportunities and Challenges

    Indonesia's Finance Minister Chatib Basri is optimistic that Indonesia's economic growth can reach 5.8 to 6.0 percent in 2014. According to Basri, three factors support this expectation: strong household consumption, an improving global economy, and the impact of Indonesia's legislative and presidential elections (scheduled for April and July 2014). However, one of the biggest challenges for the Indonesian government will be to offset the impact of further US Federal Reserve tapering and US interest rate hikes in 2015 and 2016.

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  • Expatriates in Indonesia: Number of Foreign Workers is Declining

    The number of expatriates working in Indonesia has declined in the last three years. Based on data from the Ministry of Manpower & Transmigration there were 68,957 expatriates working in Indonesia in 2013, a 4.8 percent decline from 2012. The main reason for this falling number is tighter government policy. Minister Muhaimin Iskandar stated that curtailing the influx of expats is one way of developing the country's human resources. Only when a foreigner has such exceptional qualities - not easily found in Indonesia - should he/she work in Indonesia.

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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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  • BKPM: Japan Replaced Singapore as Biggest Investor in Indonesia in 2013

    Mahendra Siregar, Chairman of the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said that Japan has replaced Singapore as the largest investor in Indonesia. In 2013, Japan invested USD $4.7 billion in Southeast Asia's largest economy, particularly in the automotive sector due to the sector's promising outlook as demand for cars among Indonesia's expanding middle class grows strongly. Singapore, which was the largest investor in Indonesia between 2010 and 2012, fell to second place with USD $4.6 billion worth of investments.

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Latest Columns Japan

  • 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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  • Strong Demand for Mining Stocks Pushes IHSG Upwards

    The positive response of Asian stock markets towards manufacture data from Europe, and the rebound of American and European stocks turned the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) back into green territory. Positive market sentiments impacted - as usual - on commodity stocks, particularly mining stocks, and which thus gained the most: Vale Indonesia (INCO), Antam (ANTM), Timah (TINS), and Resource Alam Indonesia (KKGI) all increased significantly.

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