• Indonesian Stocks Continue to Slide on Tuesday, Rupiah Stronger

    Indonesian stocks continued to decline on Tuesday (15/11), for the third consecutive day. After a promising start - Indonesia's Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) rose about 1 percent in today's first trading session - the index finished the day down 0.73 percent to 5,078.50 points. Key matters that cause this selloff are the US dollar approaching a 14-year high as well as expectation of rising inflation in the USA now Donald Trump has been elected next US president. This cocktail gives rise to capital outflows from emerging markets to the USA.

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  • Trade Balance Indonesia: Exports & Imports Rising in October 2016

    Indonesia recorded a USD $1.21 billion trade surplus in October 2016 according to the latest data from the nation's Central Statistics Agency (BPS). In line with expectations both exports and imports rose last month supported by rising commodity prices (hence boosting the country's export performance) and an increase in machinery and electrical appliance imports into Indonesia. Meanwhile, BPS revised September's trade surplus to USD $1.27 billion, from USD $1.22 billion reported last month.

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  • Politics & Religion in Indonesia: Ahok's Blasphemy Allegations

    Jakarta's Police Department said chances are small that there will be another anti-Ahok demonstration in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. Over the past week media reported that protesters want to stage another demonstration on 25 November 2016 to demand the arrest of incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki Cahaya Purnama (known as Ahok). Protesters accuse Ahok (a Christian of Chinese descent) of blasphemy after seeing a manipulated video that showed Ahok (mis)quoting Quranic verses during a speech in Kepulauan Seribu, off the coast of Jakarta, in early October.

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  • Taxi & Bus Transportation Operators in Indonesia Under Pressure

    Taxi and bus operators in Indonesia are having a tough time. Due to rising competition in the nation's land transportation services sector, corporate earnings of the traditional players are on the decline, while new players are seeing improving earnings. Indonesia's traditional transportation services operators (particularly taxi and bus operators) are plagued by the presence of app-based transportation services (such as Grab, Uber and Gojek) as well as new railways and airports that are being developed as part of the government's grand infrastructure development ambition.

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