• Stocks & Rupiah Indonesia: Inflation and US GDP Cause Mixed Performance

    On the first trading day of the new week, both Indonesian stocks and the rupiah moved more-or-less sideways. Generally, indices in Southeast Asia were mixed as positive external sentiments were offset by local negative sentiments. In the case of Indonesia, negative local sentiments stemmed from the higher-than-estimated inflation figure in May and continued contraction of the manufacturing industry. Positive market sentiments stemmed from the USA where GDP growth was revised to minus 0.7 percent in Q1-2015.

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  • Urban Lifestyle Indonesia: Consumption Wheat & Bread Products Rises

    Although most Indonesians still prefer to eat rice and noodles as part of their daily diet, an increasing number of Indonesians (particularly those who live in the urban environments and have adjusted to an ‘urban lifestyle’) have started to consume cereals and bread. In fact, Indonesia has become the world’s second-largest wheat importer and ranks among East Asia’s largest cereal importers. The country is dependent on these imports as domestic production of grains is close to zero (the climate doesn’t suit cultivation).

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  • Companies Expected to IPO on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2015

    Prospects for initial public offerings (IPOs) in Indonesia are positive in 2015, or, at least more positive than in 2014 when Indonesia’s ‘political year’ (legislative and presidential elections) caused severe political uncertainties in the market. However, the country’s slowing economic growth and looming capital outflows brought about by expected further monetary tightening in the USA before the year-end, has made market participants cautious. The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) expects a total of 32 new listings on the IDX in 2015, up from 20 last year.

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  • Market Update Indonesia: Why Stocks Rose but the Rupiah Weakened?

    In line with other Asian indices, Indonesian stocks rose on Tuesday (26/05). The benchmark Jakarta Composite Index rose 0.62 percent to 5,320.90 points. Positive sentiments did not originate from the USA as US stock markets were closed for a holiday yesterday but primarily stemmed from China where the economic planning agency announced to implement several new policies in a bid to boost the sluggish economy. The rupiah, however, depreciated 0.25 percent to IDR 13,220 per US dollar based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index.

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