Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Banking

  • Indonesia Investments' Newsletter of 13 September 2015 Released

    On 13 September 2015, 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 subjects such as the government’s new economic policy package, the country’s financial stability, GDP growth, coal mining, crude palm oil, and more.

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  • Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) Opens First Office in Singapore

    One of the leading banks in Indonesia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), opened its first branch in Singapore on Wednesday (29/07), located in the heart of the Lion City at OUE Bayfront, 50 Collyer Quay (near Marina Bay). Today, the new office of BRI was inaugurated by Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil, and the opening ceremony was witnessed by Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Muliaman D. Hadad.

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  • Islamic Banking in Indonesia: ‘I Love Sharia Finance Program’

    Indonesian President Joko Widodo stated during the launch of the “I Love Sharia Finance Program” that Indonesia should become the global center for Islamic finance (also known as sharia banking). The program, initiated by the country’s Financial Services Authority (OJK), was launched in Jakarta on Sunday (14/06). Islamic finance is a form of banking or banking activity that is consistent with the principles of sharia (Islamic law). In recent years, the global market for sharia-compliant financial instruments has risen robustly.

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  • Rabobank Group Injects Capital into Rabobank Indonesia

    The Rabobank Group, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services company with its headquarters in Utrecht, has injected USD $35 million worth of capital into its Indonesian subsidiary Rabobank Indonesia. Martyn Schouten, President Director at Rabobank Indonesia, said that the capital injection is carried out to support Rabobank Indonesia’s business expansion in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. He added that the Indonesian unit will play an increasingly important role in international business of the Rabobank Group.

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  • Growth Forecasts 2015: Bank Central Asia (BCA) to Acquire Small Banks

    While other leading Indonesian banks are eager to expand business by opening branches in neighbouring countries, Bank Central Asia (BCA) stays focused on the domestic market. BCA, Indonesia’s largest private bank, is eyeing to acquire several smaller banks in Indonesia as part of its (inorganic) business growth model this year. BCA seeks smaller banks that have good financial performance, match with BCA’s business and are not too expensive (with a price to book value of between one and two times).

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  • Banking Industry Indonesia: Bank Mandiri Can Open Branches in Malaysia

    State-controlled Bank Mandiri, the leading bank in Indonesia in terms of asset size, will be allowed to open 20 branches in Malaysia after financial authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia signed an agreement. Although Muliaman D Hadad, Chief Commissioner at Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK), said that the government of Malaysia still needs to ratify the agreement, it is expected that Bank Mandiri will be able to open its Malaysian branches before the end of the year.

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  • Fitch Ratings: Systemic Risks in Indonesian Banking System Declined

    Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings expects slowing credit growth in Indonesia to reduce systemic risks in the country’s banking sector. In a report entitled Macro-Prudential Risk Monitor, which was released on 3 March 2015, it was mentioned that the macro-prudential risk indicator (MPI) for Indonesia was lowered from '3' (high risk) to '2' (moderate risk). Primary reason for this risk cut was the slowdown in the country's real credit expansion to below 5 percent in 2014 (from a peak of almost 20 percent in 2011).

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  • Banking Sector of Indonesia to Become Less Open to Foreign Investment

    Commission XI of Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR), which oversees the country’s banking sector, will soon propose a new draft of a bill that sets to limit foreign ownership in Indonesian banks at 40 percent (from 99 percent currently). Established banks that are majority-owned by foreigners will be given a 10-year period to divest their shares after the bill has been passed into law (reportedly an earlier draft only provided a five-year transition period for this mandatory divestment).

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  • IPO of Bank Yudha Bhakti on the Indonesia Stock Exchange

    Bank Yudha Bhakti, an Indonesian commercial bank, is preparing an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The company will offer 300 million shares, or 11.9 percent of its enlarged equity, to the public and plans to raise IDR 34.5 billion (USD $2.8 million) as it offers the shares at IDR 115 per piece. The offering starts between 5 and 7 January 2015, while listing at the IDX is planned for 13 January 2015. Underwriters for the IPO are Semesta Indovest and Equator Securities.

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  • OJK Sets New Rules in Indonesia’s Islamic Financial Services Industry

    In a bid to enhance monitoring on Indonesia’s financial services sector, to deepen financial markets, and to widen people’s access to financial services, the Financial Services Authority (OJK) has introduced 20 new rules ranging from corporate governance to microfinance. The institution also revised Islamic banking rules involving asset quality and capital adequacy in an effort to increase the role of Islamic banking (sharia banking) in Indonesia’s financial system. Authorities target that Islamic banks hold more than 15 percent of the market by 2023.

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Latest Columns Banking

  • S&P: Indonesia's Banking Industry Stable but Profitability May Weaken

    New York-based financial services firm Standard & Poor's stated that Indonesia's banking industry will feel the negative impact of Indonesia's sluggish economic growth in combination with persistently low commodity prices next year. This combination may weaken profitability of the nation's banking industry. S&P puts Indonesia's economic growth in 2016 at 5 percent (y/y), below the International Monetary Fund's and World Bank's forecast as well as the central government's target, all at 5.3 percent (y/y).

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  • How Can a Foreigner (Expat) Open a Foreign Currency Bank Account in Indonesia?

    Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) issued a new regulation that simplifies the opening of a foreign currency bank account by a foreign national (expat). A circular, S-246/S.01/2015 (dated 15 September 2015 and signed by OJK Chairman Muliaman D. Hadad), has been sent to all directors of Indonesian commercial banks that conduct business in foreign currencies. This new rule, part of the economic policy package that was released by the Indonesian government on 9 September, aims to boost foreign currency funds in Indonesia and support the rupiah.

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  • Banking in Foreign Currencies for Expats in Indonesia Made Easier

    Soon it will be easier for foreigners (expats) to have a foreign currency bank account (non-rupiah) in Indonesia. Muliaman D. Hadad, Chairman of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), stated it is bound to issue a new regulation that allows for easier banking in foreign currencies in Indonesia. This regulation is made in an effort to raise the country’s foreign exchange reserves and support the ailing rupiah.

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  • Press Release Bank Indonesia: BI Rate Held at 7.50% in August 2015

    During Bank Indonesia’s Board of Governors it was decided on 18th August 2015 to hold the BI Rate at 7.50 percent, while maintaining the Deposit Facility rate at 5.50 percent and the Lending Facility rate at 8.00 percent. The decision is consonant with efforts to control inflation within the target corridor of 4±1 percent in 2015 and 2016. In the short term, Bank Indonesia (BI) is focused on efforts to stabilize the rupiah amid uncertainty in the global economy, by optimizing monetary operations in the rupiah and the foreign exchange market.

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  • Islamic Banking in Indonesia Explained: New Rules & Foreign Ownership

    Indonesian financial authorities are considering to ease foreign ownership limits for local Islamic banks and to promote new sharia-compliant financial tools in an effort to make the Islamic finance industry more attractive to foreign investors and the Indonesian population. Despite having the world’s largest Muslim population and being a dynamic emerging economy, Indonesia plays only a very minor role in the global Islamic banking industry. Meanwhile, domestically, Islamic banking still seriously lags behind conventional banking.

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  • Bank Indonesia Press Release: BI Rate Maintained at 7.50%

    Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) decided to maintain its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent, the deposit facility rate at 5.50 percent and lending facility rate at 8.00 percent. This interest rate environment is considered to be in line with the central bank’s ongoing efforts to push the country’s inflation figure within its target of 4±1 percent for 2015 and 2016, as well as to control the country’s current account deficit towards a healthier level at 2.5-3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium term.

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  • Islamic Banking in Indonesia: Boosting Syariah Finance

    Syariah banking or Islamic finance is a large untapped potential in Indonesia, a country where about 13 percent of the total global Muslim population live. With nearly 90 percent of the 250 million people in Indonesia adhering to Islam, the market share of syariah (sharia) finance is remarkably low. At USD $24 billion, Islamic banks in Indonesia only held 4.9 percent of the country’s total banking assets in 2013, hence making Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (OJK) decide to launch a five-year roadmap in a move to boost syariah banking.

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  • Indonesia & Malaysia Support Banking Integration in ASEAN Region

    Bank Indonesia (the central bank of Indonesia) and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) signed an agreement (the ASEAN Banking Integration Framework, abbreviated ABIF) with Malaysia’s central bank to support banking integration in the ASEAN region. The website of Bank Indonesia states that ABIF “provides an operating framework for ASEAN member states to implement principles and the integration process in the banking sector to support the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) [which is to be implemented later this year]”.

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  • Bank for International Settlements: Emerging Markets Vulnerable

    The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) wrote in its most recent report that emerging economies, which includes Indonesia, are highly vulnerable to severe capital outflows as investments from the West have been highly speculative and can be quickly pulled out from emerging markets. Even when only a light shock occurs, capital outflows will be significant as international investors have been showing ‘herd behaviour’. This behavior can rock the financial fundamentals of emerging markets and leave these countries shattered.

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  • Bank Indonesia Keeps Key Interest Rate at 7.50% in September 2014

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) kept its key interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent for the tenth consecutive month as inflation is under control and well within the year-end target of the central bank (3.5-5.5 percent). The lending facility and deposit facility were kept at 7.50 percent and 5.75 percent, respectively, at Thursday’s Board of Governor’s Meeting (11/09). The central bank also expects that the current interest rate environment is capable of curbing the country’s wide current account deficit.

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