The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) is convinced that geopolitical troubles on the Korean peninsula will not impact negatively on the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate. Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo said he sees little impact (yet) but emphasized that the lender of last resort will continue to carefully monitor persistent tensions that have heightened after North Korea's latest nuclear test - its biggest-ever - on Sunday (03/09).

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On Wednesday (06/09) Asian stocks are following the example of Wall Street's slide overnight. The benchmark MSCI Asia was down 0.66 percent by 10:15 am local Jakarta time on Wednesday morning. This weak performance is attributed to persistent concerns about North Korea's provocative behavior, while any non-violent sanctions against North Korea will unlikely encourage the nation to stop its nuclear program.

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Asian stocks are in red territory on Monday (04/09), as expected, amid heightened concerns about North Korea's nuclear program. Over the weekend the nation conducted its sixth - and most powerful - nuclear test. Even more alarming, North Korea claims it has developed a hydrogen bomb; a bomb that is more powerful than the atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States in World War II.

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The Indonesian government proposed the rupiah value at IDR 13,500 per US dollar in the 2018 State Budget (that still requires approval from the House of Representatives). This implies the government expects the rupiah to depreciate modestly in the period ahead. Currently, the rupiah is trading at IDR 13,356 per US dollar (21/08). In the Revised 2017 State Budget the rupiah value target was set at IDR 13,400 per US dollar.

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In local Indonesian media it is reported that Indonesian President Joko Widodo has given his blessing to the central bank (Bank Indonesia)'s plan to redenominate the rupiah. Bank Indonesia has already prepared a draft bill on the redenomination of the Indonesian Rupiah with the aim to improve economic efficiency and to create smoother commercial transactions. While the rupiah value would remain unchanged, the draft bill eyes to remove the last three zeros on all rupiah bills and coins.

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Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index is expected to be under pressure on Monday (24/07) as markets await the release of corporate earnings reports (for example Amazon.com Inc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Credit Suisse Group AG will release their earnings this week) as well as the Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday (26/07). The Fed is expected to keep its monetary policy unchanged but investors will be looking for clues about the timing of the unwinding of the balance sheet.

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Asian shares are under pressure on Friday morning (07/07) due to declines on Wall Street overnight. These declines were caused by the ADP jobs report, released on Thursday (06/07), that missed estimates as well as by rising tensions surrounding North Korea's ballistic missile tests and a tech sell-off. Meanwhile, global sovereign debt yields rose on expectation that the European Central Bank (ECB) is moving closer toward unwinding its massive monetary stimulus.

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After the week-long holiday Indonesian stocks made an impressive return on Monday (03/07). Indonesia's benchmark Jakarta Composite Index surged 1.38 percent to 5,910.24 points, another record high position, led by financial and telecommunication stocks. Investors were in the mood to buy Indonesian shares after the long holiday. Moreover, positive Chinese economic data and Indonesia's easing core inflation provided more reasons for investor appetite.

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In line with expectations the US Federal Reserve announced to raise its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.00 - 1.25 percent after conclusion of the June policy meeting on Wednesday (14/06), its second hike in 2017. It also announced it will soon start its balance sheet unwinding plan, meaning cutting its massive (USD $4.5 trillion) holdings of bonds and securities. The Fed also informed US inflation will remain below its target with core inflation slowing for a fourth month in May 2017. But despite soft inflation, it goes ahead with monetary tightening.

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Markets in Asia seem relieved one day after "Super Thursday" as there were no major upsets that rocked stock and currency markets (with the exception of the British pound that depreciated significantly after exit polls suggest the United Kingdom is heading for a hung parliament with May's Conservatives losing the clear majority). Meanwhile, the Comey testimony and ECB policy meeting had no destabilizing impact on Wall Street. Hence, US stocks gave big support to Asian markets on Friday (09/06).

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) estimates that Indonesia's current account deficit will ease to 3.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2013. Indonesia's wide current account deficit has been one of the major financial troubles this year and managed to weaken investors' confidence in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Thus, Indonesia became one of the hardest hit emerging countries after the Federal Reserve started to speculate about an ending to its quantitative easing program.

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In Bank Indonesia's board of governors' meeting, which was held on Thursday (12/12), it was decided to maintain the country's benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent. This decision was in line with market expectation but was unable to support the Jakarta Composite Index and rupiah exchange rate. The lending facility and deposit facility interest rates were also maintained at 7.50 percent and 5.75 percent respectively. Bank Indonesia decided not to change the rate as Indonesia's inflation outlook for 2014 is still within target.

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Both the Jakarta Composite Index (Indonesia's benchmark stock index) and the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate are under pressure this morning as market participants are waiting for results of the central bank's Board of Governor's meeting that is held today (12/12) in Jakarta. Speculation has emerged that Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) will raise its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) one more time in 2013 in order to combat the country's current account deficit as well as mitigate the impact of a possible winding down of QE3.

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Although Indonesia's benchmark interest rate (BI rate) was kept at the level of 7.5 percent (in line with market expectation) today (12/12), it was not able to support the country's stock index. Indonesia's IHSG index fell 1.39 percent to 4,212.22 points. The index was negatively impacted by Asian stock indices that were down due to concerns about the looming end of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program. This made investors' positive reaction to the BI rate of temporary nature. Weak openings in Europe increased downward pressure.

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One of the main problems of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) is the profit taking that immediately happens after a day of strong growth. On Wednesday (11/12), the IHSG index was plagued by profit taking since the start of the first trading session. Moreover, the index was impacted by mostly falling Asian stock indices as well as the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate which went above the IDR 12,000 per US dollar level again. The only support the IHSG received was just before its closing when European indices opened up.

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Throughout the morning, the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate showed volatile movement on Tuesday (10/12). In the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the currency was up 0.45 percent to IDR 11,920 per US dollar at 16:20:51 local Jakarta time. The rupiah's performance is volatile because negative sentiments are brought on by improving economic data from the USA, causing a strengthening US dollar, while positive market sentiments are brought on by the new fiscal policies that were announced by the Indonesian government.

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Indonesia's benchmark stock index (the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) continued yesterday's rise on today's trading day (10/12), supported by indices on Wall Street that climbed due to the lower VIX index (Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index) although Asia's stock indices were mixed, while the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate continued its decline. Indonesia's manufacturing stocks were up along with consumer, automotive and processed foods stocks.

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After appreciating on Monday morning (09/12), the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate started to weaken against the US dollar in the afternoon. At 15:10:29 local Jakarta time, the rupiah stood at IDR 11,970 per US dollar in the Bloomberg Dollar Index, a 0.05 percent depreciation from the start of the day. The rupiah exchange rate is fluctuating due to positive sentiments caused by Indonesia's October trade surplus as well as China's low inflation and negative sentiments brought on by the looming end of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program.

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ICRA Indonesia, an independent credit rating agency and subsidiary of ICRA Ltd. (associate of Moody's Investors Service), publishes a monthly newsletter which provides an update on the financial and economic developments in Indonesia of the last month. In the November 2013 edition, a number of important issues that are monitored include Indonesia's inflation rate, the trade balance, the current account deficit, the IDR rupiah exchange rate, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Below is an excerpt of the newsletter:

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Indonesia's Finance Minister Chatib Basri stated that the government of Indonesia is busy preparing three new policies that aim to restore financial stability as well as attract foreign direct investments. These three new policies involve the higher sales tax on imported luxury cars, a revision of Indonesia's negative investment list, and the higher income tax on imported consumption goods. These three new policies are in addition to the policy package that was introduced by the Indonesian government in August 2013.

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