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.
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.
Indonesian state-controlled toll road operator - yet listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange - Jasa Marga considers to issue rupiah-denominated global bonds as an alternative source to seek funds for investment in toll road infrastructure development. Donny Arsal, Finance Director of Jasa Marga, said the company needs IDR 7 trillion (approx. USD $526 million) for investment in 2017. These funds should be collected through bonds, asset securitization, and bank loans.
The Investment Coordinating Board of Indonesia (in Indonesian: Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal, or BKPM) reported that total direct investment realization in Indonesia was recorded at IDR 170.9 trillion in the second quarter of 2017. This constitutes a 12.7 percent growth pace from IDR 151.6 trillion worth of total direct investment in the same quarter one year earlier. Thomas Lembong, Head of BKPM, said investment realization managed to absorb 345,323 Indonesian workers in Q2-2017.
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.
