• Cement Sales Indonesia Rose 3% in First Half of 2016

    Domestic cement sales in Indonesia climbed 3.1 percent year-on-year (y/y) to 29.48 million tons in the first half of 2016. Widodo Santoso, General Chairman of the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI), said rising cement demand in Indonesia is particularly supported by the construction of power plants, smelters and other infrastructure projects outside the island of Java. However, he added that the cement sales growth figure in H1-2016 is slightly below the target of ASI.

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  • Palm Oil Industry Indonesia: 5-Year Moratorium on New Concessions

    The government of Indonesia plans to issue a five-year moratorium on new palm oil plantation concessions through a presidential instruction. For Indonesian President Joko Widodo it is one of the top priorities to safeguard a healthy and sustainable environment, especially after international criticism on Indonesia's weak environmental policies heightened due to the flaring up of devastating forest fires on Kalimantan and Sumatra as well as the spread of toxic haze to other parts of Southeast Asia between June and October 2015.

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  • Regional Political Tensions: ASEAN Divided in South China Sea Case

    After an international tribunal came to the conclusion earlier this week that China has no legal claims to most of the South China Sea, there exists a lack of unity among Southeast Asian nations as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to respond to the matter. Among ASEAN officials there was no agreement to issue a joint statement regarding the ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration as ASEAN member nations are split on the matter.

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  • Trade Balance Indonesia: $900 Million Surplus in June 2016

    Indonesia's latest trade data beat forecasts by quite a distance. According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Indonesia's trade balance recorded a monthly surplus of USD $900.2 million in June 2016. Previously, median forecasts expected a USD $300 million surplus. Meanwhile, the nation's trade surplus more than doubled in June from the monthly surplus in the preceding month, supported by strong exports of electronics, auto parts, finished garments, and rubber products. Despite this positive result, there remain some concerns.

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