Today's Headlines in Indonesia

The Today's Headlines section of Indonesia Investments is a daily updated section which contains the latest information with regard to topics that are currently causing headlines in Indonesia's media. Most of our headlines will 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.

  • Challenges Continue for Indonesia's Cigarette Producers

    The year 2015 has been a tough year for Indonesia's tobacco industry due to an 8.7 percent increase in excise on tobacco products in early 2015 and people's weakening purchasing power amid the country's economic slowdown. During the first nine months of 2015 sales of cigarettes in Indonesia fell 1.3 percent (y/y) to 232 billion cigarettes. Next year, challenges will remain as the Indonesian government prepares another tobacco tax hike (23 percent). However, people's purchasing power is estimated to improve as economic growth may accelerate.

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  • Indonesian Rupiah Strengthens Sharply Despite Pessimistic Projection

    The Indonesian rupiah is strengthening remarkably against the US dollar on Monday (21/12) despite expectation that the rupiah will become the worst-performing Asian currency in 2016 on capital outflows (amid more US interest rate hikes planned for 2016), Indonesia's falling foreign exchange reserves, and persistent low commodity prices. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index the Indonesian rupiah had appreciated 1.13 percent to IDR 13,760 per US dollar by 14:20 pm local Jakarta time on Monday (21/12).

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  • Crude Oil Price at 11-Year Low, Coal & Gas under Pressure

    Despite winter having arrived, global oil prices are still declining. Today (21/12), Brent crude prices plunged to the lowest level since 2004 on persistent concern about a global supply glut as the Energy Information Administration reported that US crude oil supplies rose 4.8 million barrels to 490.7 million in the second week of December, while the OPEC's production rate stood at 31.7 million barrels per day (bpd) in November 2015. Meanwhile, oil demand is expected to fall in 2016. For example, oil consumption in the USA is projected to fall to 1.2 million bpd next year, from 1.8 bpd in 2015.

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  • Indonesia Investments' Newsletter of 20 December 2015 Released

    On 20 December 2015, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website over the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic matters such as updates on the performance of Indonesian stocks and the rupiah, Indonesia's interest rate environment, the trade balance, the country's energy mix, updates of the performance of listed companies, and more.

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