Continued Profit Taking Causes Indonesia's IHSG to Fall 0.46%
Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) extended its downward movement on Monday (23/09) as investors continued to look for profits after the index had risen sharply following the announcement that the US quantitative easing program will not be ended yet. Pressures on the IHSG were intensified by the depreciating rupiah and the weakening of Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (which was partly brought on by a typhoon). Despite foreign investors being net buyers of Indonesian stocks, the IHSG fell 0.46 percent to 4,562.86 points.
The Indonesian rupiah fell against the US dollar. Speculation emerged that many companies were buying US dollars in order to settle debt payments at the end of the month as well as for the import of goods. In line with the mid rate of Indonesia's central bank, the offshore non-deliverable forwards (NDF) also depreciated.
Asian stock indices started positive during Monday's trading day due to China's higher HSBC Manufacturing PMI (from 50.1 to 51.2). However, as the day went on, the performance of Asian indices turned mixed. A number of them fell, including India's Sensex (after its benchmark interest rate was raised to 7.5 percent), Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (of which trade was interupted due to the typhoon), and Australia's ASX. The remark of one Fed official who said that the stimulus program (QE3) may be ended in October also brought negative market sentiments to Asia.
European indices, still open at moment of writing, are slightly down. Initially, Angela Merkel's victory received a good response, but when it became known that she will face difficulty forming a coalition, indices were down. Another factor that contributes to today's weak European indices are the lower Manufacturing PMIs of Germany, France and the Eurozone.
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