• World Bank Cuts its Global Economic Growth Forecast to 2.8% in 2014

    The World Bank cut its global economic growth forecast because of the weaker outlooks for the economies of the USA, Russia and China, as well as the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine which triggered worldwide concerns. The Washington-based institution expects to see 2.8 percent of global economic growth in 2014, far below its January 2014 estimate of 3.2 percent. However, it kept its global growth forecasts for the next two years at 3.4 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.

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  • Indonesia Presidential Election 2014: Television Debate Jokowi vs Prabowo

    On Monday evening (09/06), the first debate between Indonesia’s two presidential candidates (joined by their running mates) was held and broadcast live on national television by various Indonesian television stations. This debate is the first in a series of five debates in which both teams - Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo and Jusuf Kalla vs Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa - are able to share their vision and mission to the Indonesian electorate. The debate immediately became a trending topic on social media.

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  • World Bank: China’s Economic Growth Moderates on Transformation

    According to the World Bank, China’s economic growth will moderate over the medium term as the country’s economy rebalances gradually. In 2014, GDP growth is expected to slow to 7.6 percent (year-on-year/yoy), and declining further to 7.5 percent (yoy) in 2015. The World Bank’s latest China Economic Update mentions: “The slowdown in the first quarter reflected a combination of dissipating effects of earlier measures to support economic expansion, a weak external environment, and tighter credit, especially for real estate.”

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  • Supplying Electricity to Indonesians; Domestic Coal Consumption Rises

    Indonesian state-owned electricity firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said that Indonesia - Southeast Asia's largest economy - is expected to nearly double domestic consumption of thermal coal over the next eight years in an attempt to meet the nation's growing electricity demand. Moreover, coal, of which the country has huge reserves at its disposal, is regarded a better fuel source in electricity generation compared to expensive diesel. At present, many power stations in Indonesia are still diesel-powered.

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