Six new 'special economic zones' (in Indonesian: kawasan ekonomi khusus, or KEK) should become operational in Indonesia soon. These six KEKs are: (1) Bitung, (2) Palu, (3) Tanjung Api-Api, (4) Mandalika, (5) Morotai, and (6) Maloy Batuta Trans Kalimantan. Indonesia's special economic zones are designated areas that offer both foreign and local investors preferential regulatory and tax regimes, as well as - in theory - the availability of key physical infrastructure such as harbors and power plants that should attract foreign investment in these zones.

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Activity in Indonesia's manufacturing industry tumbled into contraction again in June 2017, after having experienced four months of straight growth. The Nikkei Indonesia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) declined to a reading of 49.5 in June, from 50.6 in the preceding month (a reading of 50.0 separates contraction from expansion). Contraction in Indonesia's manufacturing sector is particularly blamed on a stagnation in domestic order books.

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Elisa Sinaga, Chairman of the Indonesian Ceramic Industry Association (ASAKI), still expects domestic demand for ceramic products to remain bleak as there are no signs of improvement originating from Indonesia's property sector (compared to last year). However, Indonesia's ceramic exports are expected to rise in 2017.

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Huibert Vigeveno, EVP Global Commercial at Royal Dutch Shell Plc, recently visited Indonesia and shared information about Shell's views on the Indonesian oil and gas market. Shell, a British–Dutch multinational oil and gas company, has a long - more than 100 years - history in Indonesia and seems committed to stay in Southeast Asia's largest economy for a long time as Vigeveno names Indonesia an important market for Shell.

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