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Indonesia's inflation rate in June 2017 was higher than previously estimated. The nation's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Monday morning (03/07) that monthly inflation was recorded at 0.69 percent last month, while estimates ranged between 0.50 - 0.60 percent (m/m). Traditionally, Indonesian inflation tends to be high in June as people's consumption rises amid the Ramadan and Idul Fitri festivities.
Inflation is expected to have remained high in Indonesia in June 2017 amid the Ramadan and Idul Fitri celebrations, a period when increased consumption (especially consumption of food products) always triggers inflationary pressures in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Monthly inflation is estimated to reach around 0.50 percent in June. On Monday (03/07) Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) will release the nation's official inflation figures.
Indonesia's 10-year government bond yields are currently around 6.89 percent, or the highest among Asian nations. On the one hand, this makes Indonesian bonds attractive to investors but on the other hand it becomes more costly for the government. How come Indonesian bond yields remain high?
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects Indonesia's inflation rate to rise to 4.36 percent year-on-year (y/y) by the end of 2017, a significant jump compared to the 3.02 percent (y/y) inflation rate in 2016 but still within the initial target range of Bank Indonesia (that is set at a wide range of 3 - 5 percent y/y). According to the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia's annual inflation rate rose to 4.33 percent (y/y) in May, up from 4.17 percent (y/y) in the preceding month.
Inflation continued to rise in Indonesia in May 2017 but at a slower pace than expected. According to the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS), the annual inflation rate rose to 4.33 percent (y/y) in May, up from 4.17 percent (y/y) in the preceding month. The May inflation figure is the highest in 14 months. On a monthly basis Indonesian inflation was recorded at 0.39 percent (m/m) in May 2017.
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects the nation's May 2017 inflation rate to be relatively high at 0.37 percent month-on-month (m/m) due to rising food prices and transportation tariffs ahead of the start of the holy Ramadan month (the Islamic fasting month). A Bank Indonesia survey shows inflation had climbed 0.27 percent in the first three weeks of May. As the Ramadan has started in the fourth week, inflationary pressures should rise sharper in these last couple of days of the month.
Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS) announced the nation's April 2017 inflation figure was recorded at 0.09 percent month-on-month (m/m), a relatively high inflation figure for Southeast Asia's largest economy considering the month of April usually brings deflation to Indonesia due to the peak of the harvest season (which causes sliding food prices).
Indonesia's inflation rate eased more than analysts had forecast in March 2017. Based on the latest data from Indonesia's Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesian inflation fell to an annual rate of 3.61 percent (y/y) on the back of a monthly deflation rate of 0.02 percent in March 2017. The outcome also surprised Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia). Up to the third week of March a Bank Indonesia survey showed inflation reached 0.05 percent.
The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects Indonesia's headline inflation to ease in March 2017 as food prices are under control and can therefore offset the inflationary pressures that are caused by administered price adjustments (higher electricity tariffs). In February 2017 Indonesia's inflation rate accelerated to 3.81 percent (y/y) due to the ongoing impact of the higher electricity tariffs that were introduced by the government in January as well as a number of big floods that curtailed distribution channels across parts of Sumatra and Java.
According to the World Bank the economy of Indonesia will continue to accelerate in 2017 supported by strengthening global economic growth, overall rising commodity prices (meaning investment and export performance should improve), the nation's low current account deficit, low inflation, and strong fundamentals of the Indonesian economy. These circumstances should boost Indonesia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 5.2 percent year-on-year (y/y) in 2017 (from 5.0 percent in the preceding year).
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The release of Indonesia's April deflation figure (0.10%) and orderly May Day demonstrations provided a good environment for investors to continue purchasing Indonesian stocks (despite uncertainty about Indonesia's subsidized fuel policy. Moreover, positive Asian stock indices - in combination with positive European openings on Wednesday - made the Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG) rise to a new record level of 5,060.92 points on Wednesday (01/05/13), a 0.53 percent gain.
Even though American and European stock indices were positive on Monday (in fact S&P 500 set a new record) it did not impact directly on the performance of Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) on Tuesday (30/04/13). In the first session, the IHSG's peak at 5,014 points was only short-lived and quickly lowered again. In the second session, however, the index started to show more solid growth (despite the ongoing uncertainty about Indonesia's subsidized fuel price) as Asian stock markets were mostly up.
After two consecutive days of decline, the Jakarta Composite index (IHSG) had no intention to continue its fall. Indonesia's main index was able to rise 0.43 percent to 4,999.75 points on Monday 29 April 2013. Stocks that had been weakening in recent days were popular among investors. Moreover, both Asian stock indices and foreign net purchases of Indonesian stocks supported Indonesia's index, although it fell short of reaching the psychological boundary of 5,000 points.
One piece of evidence of international confidence in the Indonesian economy is the steady upgrades in the country's credit ratings by international financial services companies such as Standard & Poor's, Fitch Ratings and Moody's. In late 2011, Fitch Ratings was the first to reinstate Indonesia's investment grade status after a 14-year hiatus. In January 2012, Moody’s followed suit citing the country’s resilient economy. S&P may follow soon, depending on the fuel price hike issue.
Last week Indonesia's main stock index (IHSG) was mixed with a weakening trend. The index lost 19.9 points, equivalent to 0.40 percent of its value. During the last month, the index consolidated within the range of 4,800 and 5,030 points. Foreign funds continued to pour in and trade volume remained high although below average trade in the last three weeks. In fact, our technical indicators are showing signs that Indonesia's main stock index has become saturated.
On Friday's trading day, the Indonesia Stock Index (IHSG) started in an upward direction. However, as it felt the impact of European stock indices, that mostly opened lower, the IHSG weakened 0.32 percent to 4,978.51 points. Moreover, most other Asian indices were down (except for Hong Kong's HSI) and thus contributed to the IHSG's fall. Market participants also seem to fear the annual 'May Cycle' of the IHSG, which involves the traditional large-scale selling of IHSG stocks.
The heavily subsidized fuel price of Indonesia is likely to be raised next month according to Indonesian media sources. Various high officials, including Economic minister Hatta Rajasa, discussed the possibility to raise the fuel price from IDR 4,500 (USD $0.46) to IDR 6,500 (USD $0.67) per liter starting from May. This increase will only apply to private passenger cars, and not to motorcycles and public transportation. However, president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has not made up his mind yet.
Indonesia's main stock index, the IHSG, continued its rally on Wednesday 17 April due to increased US monthly Housing Starts, decreased US inflation, as well as financial results of companies that indicated revenues and net profits exceeded expectations. Moreover, the IMF upgraded its outlook for East Asia's economic, which made investors buy stocks. Within Indonesia, there was enthusiasm regarding Q1-2013 corporate results and dividend payouts, which offset uncertainties about the new fuel policy.
Most of us expected the Jakarta composite index (IHSG) to weaken on Tuesday 16 April 2013 amid mixed Asian stock indices and significantly weakened American and European indices on Monday (that responded to reports about both China's slowing economic growth and weak economic figures of America). Moreover, bomb explosions at the finish line of the marathon of Boston were expected to complicate the performance of the IHSG. But concerns turned out in vain.
The latest World Bank report of East Asia and the Pacific states that "driven by strong domestic demand, economies of developing East Asia and Pacific continue to be an engine of global growth, growing at 7.5 percent in 2012 - higher than any other region in the world." Amid a recovering global economy the report projects that regional growth will rise to 7.8 percent in 2013 and ease to 7.6 percent in 2014.
