After the World Bank signaled slowing economic growth in Indonesia, American multinational financial services corporation Morgan Stanley also detects problems in Southeast Asia's largest economy. According to Jonathan Garner, chief Asia and emerging-market strategist for Morgan Stanley, Indonesia’s stock market is the most vulnerable stock market in Southeast Asia in terms of sudden capital outflows. Morgan Stanley downgraded Indonesia's equities to underweight from equal weight and labeled the country as "a relatively over-owned country".

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Yesterday (07/06), the main index of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IHSG) fell by a total of 2.7 percent to close at 4,865.32 points. The size of this single day fall of Indonesia's IHSG has not been seen since November 2011 and illustrates waning confidence in Indonesia's economy. For eleven days in a row, foreign investors have been engaged in net selling as they have been concerned about ongoing uncertainty regarding the price hike of subsidized fuel, the continuing trade deficit as well as the steady fall of the IDR rupiah.

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Contrary to Thursday's trading day (05/09) when the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (IHSG) opened strong but ended in the red, on Friday (06/09) it was the other way round. The IHSG started negative but ended the day 0.53 percent up to 4,072.35 points. Factors that made a negative impact on the IHSG were the continueing fall of the rupiah as well as speculation that Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves would decline again at end-August. However, a number of rising Asian indices influenced the IHSG in a positive way.

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Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) started rather well on Thursday's trading day (05/09) despite the fact that most analysts expected a weakening index. Positive market sentiments were triggered by rising Asian stock indices (brought on by yesterday's rising indices on Wall Street). However, as the rupiah continued its downward spiral, market players began to exit the market, thus resulting in the 0.55 percent fall of the IHSG to 4,050.86. Foreign investors were net sellers of Indonesian assets, while domestic players recorded a net purchase.

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Most European stock indices rose sharply on Monday (02/09) as investors were happy to see favorable industrial data from China and the Eurozone. The benchmark stock indices in Paris, Frankfurt, London and Amsterdam climbed up to 1.8 percent. Trade was relatively quiet as Wall Street was closed due to Labor Day celebrations. However, it may be a 'calm before the storm' because on Friday (06/09) new official data about U.S. job creation will be released, while next week more clarity about a military operation in Syria is expected.

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The decision of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) to raise its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 7.00 percent and its deposit facility (Fasbi) by 0.50 percent to 5.25 percent seem to have had a good impact on the value of Indonesia's stocks and the rupiah. Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) rose 2.23 percent to 4,195.09 points on Friday (30/08), implying a three-day winning streak. Since the first trading day of this year, the IHSG is down 3.47 percent.

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Although Indonesia is one of the victims of the reversal of investment flows from emerging markets to developed markets, it is still far from a crisis. Global uncertainty regarding the possible ending of the Federal Reserve's monthly USD $85 billion bond-buying program (QE3) and, to a lesser extent, the possible invasion of the US in Syria have worried investors and resulted in the withdrawal of funds from emerging markets. Funds are flowing back to western developed countries that have recently been showing signs of continued economic recovery.

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Most of us who were hoping for a limited weakening of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) today (27/08) were to be disappointed. Instead of a limited decline, the IHSG fell 3.71 percent to 3,967.84 points. Market participants are concerned about both the global and domestic economy, thus pulling money out from Indonesia. The weakening rupiah and weak stock index openings in Europe (due to tensions in Syria) pushed the IHSG further down into red territory. Foreign investors were again net sellers of Indonesian assets.

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Indonesia's current account deficit, which caused much alarm among the investor community, is expected to ease to about 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the second half of 2013. This assumption is supported by Indonesia's central bank and various analysts. The country's current account deficit reached USD $9.8 billion or 4.4 percent of GDP in Q2-2013. In combination with the weakening rupiah, higher inflation and the possible end to the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program, investors have been pulling money out of Indonesia.

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After market participants had time in the weekend to think over the 'rescue packages' of the Indonesian government and central bank (Bank Indonesia) that were released on Friday (23/08), they seemed unconvinced about the short-term impact of the packages. As a result, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) fell 1.18 percent to 4,120.67 points on Monday (26/08), which is the IHSG's lowest level since 7 September 2012. The Indonesian rupiah gained 0.06 percent to IDR 10,841 (Bank Indonesia's mid rate).

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The rebound that happened in the first session of Friday's trading day (23/08) gave hope that Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) would end the disastrous week on a positive note. However, in the second session of the day market participants began selling Indonesian assets causing the index to fall again, although the fall was limited. In line with the Asian region, the index lost 0.04 percent to end at 4,169.83 points. Even the highly anticipated 'rescue package' of the Indonesian government was not able to support the index.

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Today's release of the economic rescue package was not able to put Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) into green territory. Also, the Indonesian rupiah maintained its losing streak. The IHSG fell 0.04 percent to 4,169.83 points. Interestingly enough, the IHSG was rising previous to the release of the package. After the release, however, it started to weaken slightly, which seems to indicate that market participants were a bit disappointed with the contents of the package as it contained no quick fixes to the economy.

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