The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) decided to keep its doors closed on Wednesday (19/04) as the people of Jakarta will vote in the second (and final) round of the Jakarta gubernatorial election. Earlier, Indonesian President Joko Widodo had already declared Wednesday 19 April 2017 a public holiday for the citizens in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. Meanwhile, Bank Indonesia stated that it will keep operations at a minimum on voting day.

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Former Chelsea football stars Michael Essien and Carlton Cole, who both played their first match in Indonesia's League One over the weekend, are facing some difficulty with Indonesian immigration. Essien and Cole, who are in the last phase of their careers, signed for Persib Bandung, one of the top football teams in Indonesia. However, based on media reports, Persib Bandung has not concluded the immigration process in time. As a result both players played their first match without having a work permit.

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Despite the improving export performance (supported by improving commodity prices), it may be difficult for Indonesia to deliver +5 percent year-on-year (y/y) gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter of 2017. Main reason is subdued consumer purchasing power due to higher electricity tariffs in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Therefore, economic growth of Indonesia is expected to be rather similar to the 4.92 percent (y/y) growth pace recorded in Q1-2016.

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While car sales are showing a rebound in Indonesia, motorcycle sales continue to decline. Based on the latest data from the Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association (AISI), motorcycle sales in Southeast Asia's largest economy fell 15.9 percent year-on-year (y/y) to 473,896 units in March 2017 from 563,341 units in the same month one year earlier. AISI Chairman Sigit Kumala says Indonesian consumers continue to postpone the purchase of a motorcycle amid weak consumer purchasing power.

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