• Indonesia's Economic Growth in Q2-2013 Projected at Six Percent

    The slowing pace of investments has made the Indonesian government decide to revise down its forecast for economic growth in the second quarter of 2013. Minister of Finance, M. Chatib Basri, believes that GDP growth will not exceed the six percent threshold in Q2-2013. He explained that there are a number of factors that refrain the government from setting a higher growth assumption. These factors include ailing exports, non-optimal government spending, and diminishing gross fixed capital investment.

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  • State-Owned Cement Producer Semen Baturaja Conducts IPO

    State-owned cement producer Semen Baturaja invites investors to its initial public offering (IPO) between 29 May and 7 June 2013 at the Ritz Carlton Pacific Place in Jakarta. Through this IPO, the company offers 2.34 billion shares (about 23.76 percent of its stock equity) to the public with an initial price target of IDR 500 - 685 per share (USD $0.05 - $0.07). Semen Baturaja will be listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) on 28 June 2013. The lead underwriters for this IPO are Bahana Securities, Danareksa Securities and Mandiri Securities.

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  • Indonesian Government Will Issue Global Sukuk and ORI in October

    The government of Indonesia plans to issue global sukuk (the Islamic equivalent of bonds) and retail bonds (Obligasi Ritel Indonesia, abbreviated ORI) in October 2013. Proceeds from the bond issuances will be used to finance the budget deficit, which is targeted at 2.48 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the 2013 Revised State Budget (APBN-P). This percentage figure is equivalent to IDR 233.7 trillion (USD $23.82 billion), and represents a robust increase compared to the deficit in 2012 (at 1.77 percent of GDP).

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  • Indonesian Government Wants to Increase Fuel Subsidy Spending in 2013

    Although Indonesia’s government stresses the need to relieve pressure on the state budget (by raising the price of subsidized fuel next month), it plans to allocate an additional IDR 16.1 trillion (USD $1.65 billion) to this year’s fuel subsidy budget. The additional allocation, which covers fuel, LPG and vegetable fuels, will raise government expenditure on fuel subsidies to IDR 209.9 trillion (USD $21.50 billion) from the IDR 193.8 trillion drafted in the original 2013 state budget (APBN 2013). Total energy subsidies will grow to IDR 309.9 trillion this year.

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