Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines 2014 Elections

  • Update Indonesia Elections 2014: Half of Electorate Still Unsure Who to Back

    According to a survey from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), 45.8 percent of the Indonesian electorate have still not decided which party or which presidential candidate to back in the legislative election (9 April 2014) and presidential election (9 July 2014). About 42.4 percent of the electorate knows who they will vote for, while 11.8 percent could not answer. These indications are based on a survey that involved interviews with 1,200 people in 33 provinces between 7-17 March 2014 (with a 2.83 percent margin of error).

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  • IPO of State Port Operator Pelindo III after Indonesia's 2014 Elections

    Pelabuhan Indonesia III (better known as Pelindo III or Indonesia Port Corporation III), the state-owned company that is responsible for the management, regulation, maintenance and operation of ports in Central Java, East Java, Bali, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara, may conduct its initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the fourth quarter of 2014 if market conditions are conducive after the legislative and presidential elections of 2014.

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  • PDI-P, Golkar and Gerindra are the Most Popular Political Parties in Indonesia

    The latest survey of research institute Charta Politika Indonesia indicates that only three Indonesian political parties can rely on enough popular support to win the legislative election that will be held on 9 April 2014. These three parties are PDI Perjuangan (PDI-P), Golkar and Gerindra. Other parties will not have a chance to win the election based on the survey that was conducted in March 2014. Results of the March survey confirmed that these three parties' popularity grew markedly from the institute's December 2013 survey.

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  • DBS Bank: Indonesia's Household Consumption Accelerates on Election

    Singapore-based DBS Bank predicts that household consumption in Indonesia will grow 5.6 percent (yoy) in the first semester of 2014, which is slightly higher than the growth recorded in the last three years. Gundy Cahyadi, economist at the DBS Bank, said that the main reason for this accelerated household consumption is the legislative election that will be held on 9 April 2014. Traditionally, consumption peaks in times of elections. Household consumption is one of the main pillars of Indonesia's economic growth, accounting for 55 percent of GDP.

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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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  • Foreign Competitors Enter Indonesia's Promising Franchise Business

    In 2014, about 30 to 40 foreign franchise holders (mostly from Singapore and the USA) intend to enter Indonesia as the country's franchise business expands about 20 percent per year. Levina Supit, Chairman of the Indonesian Franchising and Licensing Association (Wali), said that Indonesia's franchise business is currently dominated by the food and drinks and services sector. The new foreign market participants will focus on these two sectors as prospects are promising due to Indonesia's rapidly expanding middle class.

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  • Bank Indonesia Lowers Forecast for Economic Growth in 2014 to about 5.7%

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) lowered its forecast for growth of Southeast Asia's largest economy in 2014 from the range of 5.8 - 6.2 percent to 5.5 - 5.9 percent as expansion of domestic consumption and exports are less robust than previously estimated. As such, Bank Indonesia implied that economic expansion of Indonesia will slow down further. Starting from 2011, gross domestic product (GDP) growth of Indonesia has declined steadily from 6.5 percent to 5.8 percent in 2013.

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  • Retail Sales Remain Strong on Robust Private Consumption in Indonesia

    The latest survey of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) indicates that domestic private consumption and household consumption in Indonesia remain strong, evidenced by a 28.4 percentage growth (year-on-year) of retail sales in January 2014. This growth was particularly supported by strong sales of information and communication equipment. These sales rose 75 percent (yoy). Traditionally, Indonesia's private consumption accounts for about 55 percent of the country's total annual economic expansion.

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  • Television Station ANTV Conducts IPO on the Indonesia Stock Exchange

    Indonesian television station Cakrawala Andalas Televisi (ANTV), owned by the controversial Bakrie Group, is conducting an initial public offering (IPO) on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). Bookbuilding started today (28/02) and will continue up to 7 March 2014. Its listing on the IDX is planned for 27 March 2014. The company will offer 588.2 billion shares, 15 percent of its enlarged capital, to the public through this corporate action. Sinarmas Sekuritas has been appointed as underwriter of the IPO.

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  • Elections in 2014 Expected to Add 0.2% to Indonesia's Household Consumption

    Deputy Governor of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) Perry Warjiyo said that as a consequence of the legislative and presidential elections, scheduled for April and July 2014, household consumption in Indonesia will grow an extra 0.2 percent. Domestic consumption, particularly household consumption accounts for around 55 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Bank Indonesia has curbed further growth of household consumption by raising the benchmark interest rate (BI rate) last year.

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Latest Columns 2014 Elections

  • Foreign Direct Investment in Indonesia Hit Record High in 2014

    The Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) announced that foreign and domestic direct investment realization in Indonesia totalled IDR 463.1 trillion (USD $37 billion) in 2014, a 16.2 percent increase from the previous year and exceeding the target that was set previously. This is a positive result as 2014 was expected to be a rather bleak year in terms of direct investment amid political uncertainties triggered by the (fragmented results) of the country’s legislative and presidential elections.

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  • Elections Signals Big Questions on Indonesia's Future Democracy

    Recent elections in Indonesia have met with a great deal of attention and look to be a decisive moment for the country. We are looking at a country that has major financial problems and also is making a decision about the direction of its democracy. Prabowo Subianto has pledged to conduct a rollback in some of the aspects of Indonesia’s democracy. So the supporters of Indonesian democracy will be watching very closely to see how the recent election events will unfold.

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  • Indonesian Cement Sales Decline amid Slowing Economic Growth in 2014

    Indonesian cement sales have slowed and may not achieve the target set for 2014. In the first half of 2014, the country’s domestic cement sales totaled 28.9 million tons, a 3.9 percentage point increase from the same period last year, well below the growth target of 6 percent (year-on-year, yoy). However, this development is no surprise as economic growth of Indonesia has slowed in recent years. Cement sales, a key indicator of construction activity (infrastructure and property development) are closely linked to general GDP growth.

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  • Quick Count Results Indonesian Election Mostly in Favour of Jokowi

    As had been predicted previously by various popularity surveys, the outcome of the Indonesian presidential election, a race between Joko Widodo (known as Jokowi) and Prabowo Subianto, was close. In fact, after the unofficial yet reliable quick count results had been collected, both camps claimed a victory. However, the majority of the quick count results show a Jokowi victory with a margin of about five to six percentage points. On 22 July 2014, the Indonesian General Elections Commission (KPU) will announce the official result.

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  • Indonesian Presidential Election: Army Ready if Public Disorder Occurs

    Indonesian Army Chief of Staff Budiman, without choosing a side, hopes to see a clear victory for one of the presidential candidates - Joko Widodo or Prabowo Subianto - in the election that is scheduled for Wednesday (09/07) as a large win will reduce chances of public disorder caused by disappointed supporters. Budiman said that a gap of at least five percent between the two contenders (based on the quick count results which will be released on the day of election) is considered a safer level.

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  • Political Year of 2014: Decline of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in Indonesia

    In the first half of 2014, 13 Indonesian companies conducted an initial public offering (IPO), including one relisting, on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). Total proceeds that were raised in the IPOs by these 13 companies was IDR 4.05 trillion (USD $340.3 million). However, both results were weaker than those in the same period last year. In the first half of 2013, 17 new listings were registered on the IDX and which managed to raise a combined total of IDR 10 trillion (USD $840.3 million). Why do we see less IPOs in Indonesia in 2014?

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  • Why the Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate has been Depreciating Lately

    After the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate temporarily surpassed the psychological boundary of IDR 12,000 per US dollar on Wednesday (18/06), concerns about the fundamentals of the currency emerged. The currency has been under pressure recently due to external factors (monetary policy of the Federal Reserve and geopolitical tensions in Iraq) and domestic factors (large private debt, significant US dollar demand, the wide trade deficit and political uncertainty ahead of the presidential election).

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  • Presidential Election Indonesia 2014: 2nd Television Debate Jokowi-Prabowo

    Sunday evening (15/06), the second debate between Indonesia’s two presidential candidates - Prabowo Subianto and Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo - was held. This debate was broadcast live on various Indonesian television stations and - once again - managed to become a trending topic on social media. The debate, the theme of which was ‘development of the economy and social welfare‘, was characterized by a nationalistic and protectionist tone. This tone had already been set by Subianto in the past weeks but now Jokowi also stressed protectionism.

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  • Indonesia Presidential Election: Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo vs Prabowo Subianto

    It had been speculated for a while, but yesterday the official declaration of Indonesia's presidential candidates and their running mates (the vice-presidential candidates) were presented. In the upcoming election, scheduled for 9 July 2014, Jakarta Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo will face Prabowo Subianto, former army general and former son-in-law to president Suharto (Indonesia's second president), in a battle for the country's presidential seat. What is there to tell about this battle?

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  • Indonesia Stock Market Update: Down on Profit Taking after Positive Start

    Similar to when the market expects the release of positive companies' corporate earnings reports, the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) gained significantly at the start of today's trading day (19/05) as the market waited for the official declarations of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates that will participate in the presidential election that is scheduled for 9 July 2014. The two pairs that will compete are the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla pair and the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa pair.

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