• Cement Sales Growth in Indonesia Limited due to Politics & Commodities

    Indonesian cement sales in 2014 reached 59.9 million metric tons, up 3.3 percent from domestic sales in the previous year but below the target that was set by the Indonesian Cement Association (ASI). The ASI targeted a sales growth rate of between 3.5 percent and 4.0 percent year-on-year. This sales target had in fact already been revised down from 6 percent (y/y) due to weak cement sales amid uncertainties brought about by Indonesia’s ‘political year’ (legislative and presidential elections) as well as weak global commodity prices.

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  • World Bank: Rehabilitating Indonesia’s Coral Reefs for People’s Welfare

    Coremap, a project supported by the World Bank, aims to revive Indonesia’s coral reefs in an effort to improve the welfare of coastal communities in Indonesia. By rehabilitating coral reefs, the country’s fish population, vital to the livelihoods of local communities, can expand. Moreover, the rehabilitation of coral reefs entails better opportunities in the (eco)tourism sector as it will attract underwater tourism. As such, new small businesses can be established in the coastal areas.

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  • Indonesia’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Climbed at End 2014

    Despite having intervened to support the rupiah exchange rate, Indonesia’s central bank announced that the country’s foreign exchange reserves rose USD $800 million to USD $111.9 billion at the end of December 2014. The rise was primarily due to foreign exchange income from Indonesia’s oil and gas exports as well as the withdrawal of government’s foreign debt. Tirta Segara, Executive Director of Bank Indonesia, said that foreign exchange savings and banks swaps with Bank Indonesia had also increased at the end of 2014.

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  • Rupiah Exchange Rate Update Indonesia: Stronger on Fed Minutes

    The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate appreciated against the US dollar on Thursday (08/01) amid mostly strengthening Asian equity and currency markets as a number of positive market sentiments arose (specifically the release of the Federal Reserve’s December minutes). According to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, Indonesia’s rupiah appreciated 0.48 percent to IDR 12,674 per US dollar. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s benchmark Jakarta Composite (stock) Index was up 0.25 percent (5,221.89 points) at the end of today’s trading day.

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