Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Property

  • Cement Sales in Indonesia Rise on Infrastructure and Property Projects

    Cement sales in Indonesia surged 21 percent month-to-month (m/m) to 5.6 million ton in September 2014 from 4.6 million ton in the preceding month. Widodo Santoso, Chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), said that the increase in Indonesian cement sales was supported by the start of a number of central and regional government infrastructure projects. Santoso also detected an increase in development of property projects. Infrastructure and property are the sectors that absorb most cement.

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  • Projects in Indonesia: Update on Jakarta’s Kota Tua Renovation Project

    Lin Che Wei, CEO of the Jakarta Old Town Revitalization Corporation, said that renovation of the Kota Tua area is expected to be finished before the start of the 2018 Asian Games. Kota Tua (Old Batavia) is the oldest part of Jakarta, located in the northern part of Indonesia’s capital city, spanning 1.3 square kilometres, and used to function as the centre of Dutch colonial rule in the 17th and 18th century. Currently, however, many buildings in the Kota Tua area are in a state of near collapse although the area has great tourism potential.

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  • Property in Indonesia: Demand for Apartments in Jakarta Still Strong

    With continued economic growth in Indonesia, thus giving rise to higher per capita GDP, the property market is still expanding rapidly, particularly in the bigger cities such as Jakarta (the political and economic center of Indonesia). By 2015, 46 new property projects will add nearly 25,000 new apartments in Jakarta (‘strata title’, a term that refers to the multi-level apartment blocks and horizontal subdivisions with shared areas) with a combined value of about IDR 23 trillion (almost USD $2 billion).

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  • Update on Indonesian Cement Industry: Prospects for 2014 and Beyond

    Indonesian cement sales fell 25 percent to 3.7 million tons in July 2014 from 5 million tons in the same month last year. This sharp decline is attributed to the Lebaran holiday (also known as Idul Fitri in which Muslims celebrate the end of the fasting month) when businesses are closed as well as Indonesia’s July 2014 presidential election. Slowing cement sales are also caused by declining economic growth (5.12 percent yoy in Q2-2014). Cement sales are a key indicator for construction activity (infrastructure and property development).

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  • Jones Lang LaSalle: Condominium Sales in Indonesia to Break a Record

    Global real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle expects condominium sales in Indonesia to post a record-breaking figure in 2014, particularly supported by the current trend in Jakarta (Indonesia’s capital city) where people continue to shift to apartment living instead of detached or attached single-unit housing. Anton Sitorus, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle, said that despite the weaker outlook for Indonesia’s property market, both developers and buyers have shown increased interest in developing and buying property.

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  • Bank Indonesia Concerned about Local Companies' Unhedged Foreign Debt

    Although Indonesia’s debt-to-GDP ratio is currently still at a safe level at roughly 32.8 percent, the country’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) expressed its concern about the high debt service ratio (DSR) and debt-to-export ratio. The DSR is the ratio of debt service payments (principal and interest) of a country to its export earnings. Generally, a healthy ratio is somewhere in the range of 0 and 20 percent. However, Indonesia’s DSR has risen from 20 percent in 2007 to 50 percent in 2014.

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  • Joko Widodo Suggests to Allow Foreigners to Buy Property in Indonesia

    Indonesian presidential candidate Joko Widodo, more popularly known as Jokowi, intends to increase the government’s tax revenue by allowing foreigners to buy luxury apartments, worth at least IDR 2.5 billion (approximately USD $211,864), in the larger cities of Indonesia and on the island of Bali (a popular tourist destination). Currently, foreigners cannot buy property in Indonesia. However, indirect structures, such as the use of their Indonesian wife’s name or an agent are common, meaning that the state loses out on luxury tax income.

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  • Jakarta's Infrastructure Development Makes Property Investment Lucrative

    Colliers International, a leading global commercial real estate firm, expects West and South Jakarta to become promising locations for the development of high-rise (office) buildings. Associate Director for Research at Colliers International Ferry Salanto explained that Jakarta's infrastructure development plans - in particular new road construction - are the main reason why prospects of property development have become more promising in the Kebon Jeruk (West Jakarta) and T.B. Simatupang (South Jakarta) areas.

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  • Growth of Residential Property Prices in Indonesia Still Slowing in Q1-2014

    The Residential Property Price Survey still indicates slowing growth of Indonesian residential property prices (in the primary market) in the first quarter of 2014. The Residential Property Price Index grew 1.45 percent (quarter to quarter) in the first quarter of 2014 or 7.92 percent year-on-year, lower than the growth that was recorded in the previous quarter of 1.77 percent (qtq) or 11.51 percent (yoy). The slowdown occurred in all types of homes, but in particular the medium and large homes segment.

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  • Strong Property Development Supports Growth of Indonesian Ceramic Industry

    Growth of the Indonesian property sector, estimated at 10 to 15 percent in 2014, boosts sales of ceramics. Similarly, the nation's construction sector - which grew 7 percent per year on average between 2009 and 2013 - stimulates the ceramic industry. This year, revenue in the Indonesian ceramic industry is projected at IDR 34 trillion (USD $3.0 billion). About 85 percent of total revenue in the country's ceramic industry is forecast to be generated through domestic sales, the remainder through exports abroad.

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Latest Columns Property

  • Indonesian Companies in Focus: Logistics Firm Mega Manunggal Property

    Mega Manunggal Property, an Indonesia-based logistics property company that is primarily focused on the development and provision of logistics facilities related to warehouses and office buildings, is expected to see rising net income and revenue in the years ahead supported by growing demand for modern warehouses, logistics services, enhanced operational efficiency, and an increase in rental prices. Mega Manunggal Property is part of the Argo Manunggal Group, a group that is active in various sectors including textile, steel, property, mining, and insurance.

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  • Impact of Indonesia's Infrastructure Development on Property Sector

    With the Indonesian government showing its commitment to push for infrastructure development, the property sector of Indonesia is expected to get a boost as infrastructure development opens access to new areas. For example, Indonesia's first high-speed train project that is to connect Jakarta and Bandung (in West Java) is expected to give rise to new economic centers and cities along the 142 kilometers-long railway. Moreover, existing property in the proximity of a new infrastructure project should lead to significantly rising property prices.

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  • Indonesian Companies in Focus: Pembangunan Perumahan (PP)

    Corporate earnings of Indonesian state-controlled construction and investment company Pembangunan Perumahan (abbreviated PP) are in line with analysts' forecasts. In the first quarter of 2016, PP's revenue rose 30.6 percent (y/y) to IDR 2.58 trillion (approx. USD $195 million), while net profit rose 5 percent (y/y) to IDR 98 billion (approx. USD $7.4 million) from the same quarter one year earlier. These figures indicate the company experienced a solid start of the year.

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  • Foreign Ownership Landed Houses & Apartments in Indonesia (Update)

    Foreigners (expats) can buy a landed house or apartment in Indonesia (under the so-called 'right-of-use' category, locally known as hak pakai, which is weaker than the ‘right-of-ownership’ category or hak milik). However, the government set various requirements (including a minimum price). A new regulation stipulates a foreigner is not allowed to rent out his Indonesian property to other parties (authorities have the right to scrap the foreigner's 'right-of-use' title if he breaches this prohibition). Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, Indonesia's Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister, provided an update on the issue of 'foreign property ownership in Indonesia'.

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  • Indonesian Consumer Group: Don't Buy Property at Jakarta's Land Reclamation Area

    The Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) advises investors and consumers not to purchase property (yet) on the artificial islands that form part of the grand USD $40 billion land reclamation project (National Capital Integrated Coastal Development, abbreviated NCICD, also known as the Giant Sea Wall) off the coast of North Jakarta. Most property developers - including Agung Podomoro Land - have already started to advertise (and sell) property units on these islands despite these developers are yet to obtain all necessary permits.

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  • Corruption in Indonesia: Agung Podomoro Land & Pluit City

    One of Indonesia's largest listed property developers - Agung Podomoro Land - saw its shares plunge 10 percent on Monday (04/04) after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the country's anti-graft agency, named the company's President Director Ariesman Widjaja a suspect in a bribery case that also involves a Jakarta legislator. Allegedly, Muhammad Sanusi, legislator of the Jakarta provincial assembly and member of Prabowo Subianto's Great Indonesia Party (Gerindra), accepted money in exchange for support related to the Pluit City project.

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  • Indonesia's BI Rate Cut Not Enough to Boost Household Consumption?

    The decision of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia), last week, to cut its key interest rate (BI rate) by 0.25 percent to 7.00 percent and to cut the reserve-requirement ratio for commercial banks' rupiah deposits by 1 percent to 6.5 percent is a decision that should boost household consumption in Indonesia in 2016, improve people's purchasing power, give rise to a stronger automotive and property sector, and boost liquidity at local banks (hence providing room for an acceleration of credit growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy).

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  • Ceramic Industry of Indonesia Weakens on Slowing Property Sector

    Utilization of Indonesia's installed ceramic production capacity fell from 92 percent in 2014 to 62 percent in 2015, while the country's ceramic sales plunged 28.6 percent (y/y) to 350 million square meters over the same period. Elisa Sinaga, Chairman of the Indonesian Ceramic Industry Association (ASAKI), said ceramic sales have fallen over the past two years due to slowing economic growth and the sluggish property sector. Sales are expected to remain stagnant in 2016.

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  • Cement Industry Update: Semen Indonesia in a Good Position

    As cement sales in Indonesia are expected to rise nearly 10 percent (y/y) to 66.4 million tons in 2016 on the back of government-led infrastructure development, investment growth and accelerating GDP growth, three cement producers are set to benefit. The three market leaders in Indonesia's cement industry that should see higher sales are Semen Indonesia, Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa and Holcim Indonesia.

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  • Property Indonesia: Bumi Serpong Damai Expected to Perform Well

    Indonesian real estate developer Bumi Serpong Damai could be one of the country's property developers that benefits the most from an improving Indonesian economy in 2016 due to the firm's availability of land reserves in a number of regions. Purchasing power is expected to accelerate, authorities eager to boost mortgage lending, a possible BI rate cut somewhere in 2016, while many - among the young and large population - will buy their first house or apartment in the next couple of years.

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