Two influential Indonesian political parties, Golkar and Gerindra, may form a coalition in order to nominate a presidential and vice-presidential candidate for Indonesia's presidential election that is scheduled for 9 July 2014. After the PDI-P, which won the legislative election on 9 April 2014 with approximately 19 percent of the vote, Golkar (15 percent) and Gerindra (12 percent) came in second and third. However, both these parties contain a leader who has presidential aspirations.

Lanjut baca ›

On Wednesday morning (30/04), the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate had appreciated 0.11 percent to IDR 11,536 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index at 9:15 local Jakarta time. On Tuesday (29/04), Bank Indonesia's benchmark rupiah rate (Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate, abbreviated JISDOR) depreciated 0.18 percent to IDR 11,589 against the US dollar. Today's JISDOR will be released by the central bank of Indonesia around noon local Jakarta time.

Lanjut baca ›

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) assesses that the Asian region is still the world's most dynamic region in terms of economic growth. The IMF expects that Asia's economic growth will accelerate to 5.4 percent in 2014 despite the ongoing US Federal Reserve tapering of asset purchases. However, the IMF continued to stress the need for further structural reforms in Asia in an attempt to avert the negative impact of US tapering and future interest rate hikes. In 2013, the Asian region grew 5.2 percent.

Lanjut baca ›

After the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), winner of the 2014 legislative election of Indonesia, was reported to have formed an alliance with the NasDem party in order to nominate a presidential candidate for the presidential election that is scheduled for 9 July 2014, both the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP) have also been approaching the PDI-P. Reportedly, the PKB has mentioned two candidates to the PDI-P to become Joko Widodo’s running mate in the election.

Lanjut baca ›