The foreign exchange reserves of Indonesia fell to USD $126.0 billion at the end of March 2018, down from a level of USD $128.06 billion one month earlier. The decrease in reserve assets was particularly attributed to the use of foreign exchange for public foreign debt repayments and rupiah stabilization efforts amid pressures stemming from rising global uncertainty in the financial markets. Uncertainties originate from the latest Fed Funds Rate hike as well as the looming trade war between the USA and China (but would be felt across the globe).

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The government of Indonesia issued Presidential Regulation No. 20/2018 on the Use of Foreign Workers in Indonesia. This new regulation aims at simplifying the permit application process for foreign workers, hence making the process more efficient and faster. Among the key changes is that the previously mandatory Expatriate Placement Plan (in Indonesian: Rencana Penempatan Tenaga Kerja Asing, or RPTKA) has been removed in specific cases.

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The crude palm oil (CPO) price weakened 3.85 percent to 2,425 Malaysian ringgit per metric ton in the first quarter of 2018. Key reason behind this decline is increased CPO output in Indonesia and Malaysia, the world's two top palm oil producers that - together - account for around 85 percent of total global CPO production.

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Consumer credit has been the driver for credit growth in Indonesia's banking sector in the first two months of 2018. Within consumer credit it are the multipurpose and motor vehicles segments that show good growth. Based on data from Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) consumer credit grew 11.1 percent year-on-year (y/y) to IDR 1,392.4 trillion (approx. USD $101.6 billion) in February 2018, accelerating from a 10.4 percent (y/y) growth pace in the preceding month.

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