The Business Columns section of Indonesia Investments provides in-depth columns that exhibit an analysis regarding subjects that are both important for understanding the Indonesian business climate and have high news value in the current state of Indonesia's economy. As a whole these columns should provide the reader a thorough and detailed picture of multiple Indonesian business sectors and be a source of ideas or inspiration to invest - or not to invest - in specific sectors of the Indonesian economy.
Thomas Lembong, Head of Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), said the 5.01 percent year-on-year (y/y) economic growth pace of Indonesia in the second quarter of 2017 was rather disappointing as consumption remained bleak. Only Indonesia's export and investment realization showed an improvement, Lembong added. But, overall, Indonesia's economic growth stagnated.
Data and Internet services are now the big engine of growth for the corporate earnings of Indonesia's listed telecommunication and network providers. However, there is only one of such companies that showed great net profit growth in the first half of 2017, to wit Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom). Therefore, Telkom is expected to have raised its market share in the mobile phone market of Indonesia this year.
Indonesian tobacco manufacturers continue to face big challenges this year amid fierce competition for market share and rising taxes (as well as other government measures that have been implemented with the aim to curb cigarette consumption, for example the setting of limits to advertisement content). Therefore, the corporate earnings of Indonesia's listed cigarette producers is expected to remain under pressure for the remainder of 2017.
With the Indonesian economy estimated to expand at a stable pace of 5.0-6.0 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the years ahead, the country's supply of energy needs to be raised. If not, businesses will increasingly be plagued by blackouts, while the price of energy rises (causing growing production costs). The upstream oil and gas industry - that involves exploration, development and production - therefore has a vital role to play in Indonesia's energy supply and economy.
The views expressed in these business columns are the views of the authors or the interviewed persons only and therefore do not necessarily reflect the views of Indonesia Investments. The authors are free to ventilate their opinions about the Indonesian business climate. Facts presented in these columns are the result of the author's own research or indicated sources, read disclaimer.
