• Regional Political Tensions: ASEAN Divided in South China Sea Case

    After an international tribunal came to the conclusion earlier this week that China has no legal claims to most of the South China Sea, there exists a lack of unity among Southeast Asian nations as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to respond to the matter. Among ASEAN officials there was no agreement to issue a joint statement regarding the ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration as ASEAN member nations are split on the matter.

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  • Trade Balance Indonesia: $900 Million Surplus in June 2016

    Indonesia's latest trade data beat forecasts by quite a distance. According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Indonesia's trade balance recorded a monthly surplus of USD $900.2 million in June 2016. Previously, median forecasts expected a USD $300 million surplus. Meanwhile, the nation's trade surplus more than doubled in June from the monthly surplus in the preceding month, supported by strong exports of electronics, auto parts, finished garments, and rubber products. Despite this positive result, there remain some concerns.

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  • Foreign Exchange Reserves Indonesia Grow in June 2016

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) announced today (14/07) that the nation's foreign exchange reserves rose by USD $6.2 billion to USD $109.8 billion in June 2016. The rise was supported by foreign exchange receipts, primarily from the issuance of government US dollar-denominated bonds, the auction of Bank Indonesia foreign exchange bills, tax revenues, oil & gas export earnings, as well as the withdrawal of foreign-denominated government loans.

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  • Investment in Indonesia's Food & Beverage Industry Grows in 2016

    Investment in Indonesia's processed food and beverage industry is expected to surpass the IDR 50 trillion level (approx. USD $3.9 billion) again in 2016, up 16 percent (y/y) from IDR 43 trillion in 2015. Adhi Lukman, General Chairman of the Indonesian Food and Beverage Association (GAPMMI), said investment in this industry has been recovering in 2016 after a weakish 2015 when foreign direct investment into Indonesia's processed food and beverage industry fell 50 percent to USD $1.5 billion.

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