Indonesia Stock Exchange Down Despite Positive Asian Market Sentiments
On Thursday's trading day, the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) was tame and weakened again. Foreign market participants were mostly selling their Indonesian assets and influenced domestic investors to behave similarly. Most other Asian stock markets, however, turned positive and were followed by good European openings. It did not prevent the IHSG from losing 49.07 points, or 1.01 percent to 4,786.37. Trade volume increased, while total value of transactions decreased.
The IDR rupiah continued its decline in line with the rise of the US dollar after US retail sales rose 1.1 percent instead of the estimated 0.2 percent. Together with that rise comes a bit of fear with regard to the fiscal stimulus program of the Federal Reserve. Other negative market sentiments came from Italy's bond auction that did not meet its target of 7.25 billion and Italy's bond yield (three-year tenor) that increased to 2.48 percent from 2.30 percent. The country is also still plagued by political uncertainty. Despite promising data from Australia - where unemployment was maintained at 5.4 percent in January, while the group of employed people rose by 71.5 thousand from an estimated 13.1 thousand, - it was not able to support the IDR.
Asian stock markets initially weakened after responding negative to news that China will create policy to limit growth in its property sector in order to avert a property bubble. But at the end of the trading day, most Asian stocks were up after Japan's House of Representatives showed support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's nominee for the position of central bank governor. Another development that turned Asian markets green was the replacement of Hu Jiantao by Xi Jinping as president of China, and Li Keqiang as new prime minister. Despite challenges, market participants expect a lot from the country's new leadership.
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