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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) stated in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) report, which was released on Wednesday (11/04), that it expects the Indonesian economy to expand by 5.3 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2018 and 2019 on the back of rising investment and an improvement in household consumption.
Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced that the nation's headline inflation rose 0.20 percent month-to-month (m/m) in March 2018 especially due to a rise in prices of fuel and spices. Meanwhile, on a year-on-year (y/y) basis, Indonesia's inflation rate accelerated to 3.40 percent in the third month of the year, up from 3.18 percent (y/y) in the preceding month but still comfortably within the central bank's target range of 2.5 - 4.5 percent (y/y) for full-year 2018.
The Statistics Agency (BPS) announced that Indonesia's headline inflation reached 0.17 percent month-on-month (m/m) in February 2018. This is a lower inflation rate compared to February 2017 (+0.23 percent m/m), hence the country's annual headline inflation eased to 3.18 percent (y/y) in February 2018, from 3.25 percent (y/y) in the preceding month.
Annual headline inflation in Indonesia eased to 3.25 percent year-on-year (y/y) in January 2018, from 3.61 percent (y/y) in the preceding month. The decline in Indonesian inflation was slightly steeper than had been estimated by analysts. The latest consumer price index data were released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) just before noon on Thursday (01/02).
Indonesia's consumer price index (CPI) finished the year 2017 at the level of 3.61 percent year-on-year (y/y), slightly higher than analysts' forecasts but well within the government's full-year inflation target of 4.3 percent. Indonesian full-year 2017 inflation was the nation's highest annual inflation since 2014 when inflation surged to 8.36 percent (y/y) due to fuel subsidy reforms.
Indonesian inflation eased further in November 2017. Based on the latest official announcement of Statistics Indonesia (BPS), released on Monday morning (04/12), inflation was recorded at 0.20 percent month-on-month (m/m) in November, a relatively low figure for November inflation if we compare it to November inflation figures in recent years (see table below).
Indonesian inflation accelerated by a modest 0.01 percent month-on-month (m/m) in October 2017, considerably lower than the average monthly October inflation rate in recent years. Low October 2017 inflation primarily comes on the back of stable commodity prices. In fact, in terms of food prices, there actually occurred deflation in Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Indonesia's inflation rose by a mild 0.13 percent month-on-month (m/m) in September 2017, slightly above analysts' forecasts. On an annual basis, the country's inflation eased further to 3.72 percent (y/y). On Monday morning (02/10) Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) released the latest consumer price index data of Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Indonesia experienced 0.07 percent deflation on a monthly basis in August 2017 according to the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS). The result is in line with expectations as inflationary pressures tend to ease in Indonesia after the Ramadan and Idul Fitri celebrations in the June-July period. On an annual basis, Indonesian inflation eased to 3.82 percent in August.
Indonesia's inflation was recorded at 0.22 percent month-on-month (m/m) in July 2017. On Tuesday morning (01/08) Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) said July inflation was attributed to rising prices in most expenditure group indices, but particularly foodstuffs (+0.21 percent), processed food, beverages, cigarettes and tobacco (+0.57 percent), housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel (+0.06 percent), clothing (+0.06 percent), health (+0.15 percent), and education, recreation and sports (+0.62 percent).
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Concerns about Indonesia's weakening rupiah intensified on Wednesday (21/08) as the currency is now balancing on the psychological boundary of IDR 11,000 per US dollar. The rupiah continued its downward spiral today although its decline was limited due to the intervention of Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) that started selling US dollars again in an effort to support the rupiah. According to data compiled by Reuters, the rupiah has now fallen 10.7 percent this year.
On Tuesday (20/08), Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) continued its decline with its fourth consecutive day of losses. Amid major concerns about Indonesia's economic growth, high inflation, tighter monetary policy and current account deficit, the IHSG fell 3.21 percent to 4,174.98 points. It means that the index now stands about 21 percent lower than its record peak in May 2013. Foreign investors have been pulling money out of the Indonesian market. According to Bloomberg, about USD $255 million has been retracted in the last two days.
Analysts expect that Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG) will end mixed today (20/08) after yesterday's large plunge amid heavy market concerns. Yesterday, the index dropped 5.58 percent to 4,313.52 points, the lowest since October 2011. Indonesia posted a current account deficit in the second quarter of 2013, while Thailand entered into a recession. The MSCI Emerging Market index¹, which includes both countries, fell 1.4 percent to a six-week low. Below a short overview of factors that caused negative sentiments on Indonesia's market.
For several weeks now, Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) has been experiencing a sharp correction. As I wrote in my previous columns, market participants have been waiting for several important macro economic data, to wit Indonesia's economic growth figure for the second quarter of 2013, the July 2013 inflation rate, and the country's trade balance statistics for the first six months of this year. Now all above results have been released, we can analyze further the impact of these macroeconomic results as well as investors' reaction to it.
The foreign exchange reserves of Indonesia keep on falling from its historical peak of USD $124.64 billion in August 2011 to USD $92.67 billion at the end of July 2013. This development seems to highlight long-standing weaknesses in Indonesia's sovereign's external finances, as credit agency Fitch Ratings detected on several occasions before. The republic of Indonesia is currently characterized by four deficits, to wit a current account deficit, a balance of payments deficit, a trade balance deficit and a fiscal deficit.
Cement sales in Indonesia grew by seven percent to 32.9 million tons in the period January to July 2013. This pace of growth is significantly lower compared to the double-digit cement growth rate last year and thus forms another sign of cooling economic growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy (cement sales are a good indicator to measure the state of economic growth of a country). A slowdown in domestic cement sales is likely to continue in the second half of 2013, partly due to a decline in infrastructure projects.
Although the holy fasting month of Ramadan and subsequent Idul Fitri celebrations always provide a boost for national economic growth in Indonesia as domestic consumption tends to peak, analysts believe that it will not contribute significantly to the government's 6.3 percent GDP growth target this year. During Ramadan and Idul Fitri (known as Lebaran), Indonesian consumers generally spend more on food products, clothes, shoes, tickets for transport and hotels than in other months, and thus lead to increased economic activity.
Worldwide, most stock indices fell on Wednesday (07/08), particularly Japan's Nikkei index, after it has been speculated that the Federal Reserve may phase out the third round of its quantitative easing program in September 2013. This program, involving a monthly USD $85 billion bond-buying package, aims to spur US economic growth while keeping interest rates low. However, one important side effect has been rising stock markets around the globe. Now the end of QE3 is in sight, investors shy away from riskier assets.
Indonesia’s inflation rate in July 2013 was significantly higher than analysts had previously estimated. The country’s July inflation figure accelerated to 3.29 percent. On year-on-year basis, it now stands at 8.61 percent, the highest inflation rate since many years. Particularly food commodity and transportation prices rose steeply. The main reason for Indonesia's high inflation is the reduction in fuel subsidies. In late June, the government increased the prices of subsidized fuels in order to relieve the ballooning budget deficit.
As I stated before, mixed sentiments continue to influence the performance of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG). During Thursday's trading day (01/08), the index moved sideways. News that the Federal Reserve intends to continue its bond-buying program made a good impact. However, this positive sentiment was offset by the release of Indonesia's high July inflation rate as well as the country's continued trade deficit. At the end of the day, the IHSG managed to post a gain as it received support from rising stock indices in Asia.
