The Today's Headlines section of Indonesia Investments is a regularly updated section which contains the latest information with regard to topics that are currently causing headlines in Indonesia's media. Most of our headlines cover political, economic and social matters. As a consequence of their recent nature, these topics may not have crystallized fully yet and can, therefore, lack a profound analysis. For publications with a more in-depth understanding of subjects, we refer you to our News, Financial or Business columns.
On Thursday evening (08/03) Washington time, South Korea's national security adviser Chung Eui-yong announced - at the White House - that North Korea's belligerent leader Kim Jong Un invited US President Donald Trump for talks. Trump accepted the invitation and both parties are expected to meet by May 2018. It would be an unprecedented move as a sitting US president has never met a North Korean leader.
Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index the value of the Indonesian rupiah weakened 0.41 percent to IDR 13,816 per US dollar on Thursday (08/03), the currency's weakest position since January 2016, ahead of the release of US non-farm payrolls and US employment data due on Friday (09/03). These data are expected to be strong and therefore pave the way for another Fed Funds Rate hike in March 2018.
Despite Indonesian President Joko Widodo having signed a regulation that will lead to a relatively cheap coal price for domestically-sold coal under the domestic market obligation, shares of Indonesian coal miner Adaro Energy rose 1.39 percent to IDR 2,190 a piece on Thursday (08/03).
Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed Government Regulation No. 8/2018 on the Implementation of Mineral and Coal Mining Business Activities (Regulation No. 8/2018) on Wednesday March 7th, 2018. This implies that the Indonesian government changed the price mechanism for coal that is sold at home under the domestic market obligation (DMO) scheme. Through the DMO, the central government forces local coal mining companies to sell part of their coal production at home.
