On 31 May 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 in the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic topics such as Indonesia’s GDP growth, a stocks and rupiah update, the IPO of Puradelta Lestari, Indonesia’s participation in a news Islamic infrastructure bank, the role of household consumption in the Indonesian economy, and more.

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Most Asian stock markets are down on Wednesday (27/05), including Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (IHSG). The IHSG was down 0.95 percent to 5,270.22 points by 14:32 pm local Jakarta time. The poor performance of stocks across Asia today followed yesterday’s falling US stock markets. The Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all declined about 1 percent on US dollar strength after the release of several strong US economic data (supporting a US interest rate hike before the year-end) and heightened concerns about the debt crisis in Greece.

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The Indonesian rupiah started the new trading week on a negative note. By 10:45 am local Jakarta time, the rupiah had depreciated 0.17 percent to IDR 13,181 per US dollar according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index. The primary reason for this performance is that the US dollar has strengthened globally after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen stated that she is convinced that the world will see the first US interest rate hike in almost a decade before the end of the year (provided that US economic data continue to improve).

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Indonesian stocks continued to rise one day after the country’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) announced to leave the interest rate policy unchanged and, instead, choosing to loosen its macro-prudential policy by revising the LDR-RR regulation, LTV policy for mortgage loans and down payments on automotive loans, hence increasing liquidity and boosting credit growth in the banking sector. Indonesia's rupiah, however, depreciated sharply after the market opened on Wednesday (20/05) due to the strong US dollar.

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Indonesia's central bank (Bank Indonesia) showed that it is committed to its relatively tight monetary stance as it left interest rates unchanged at its May Board of Governor’s Meeting. Despite pressures from the government and business players to cut interest rates (which would boost economic growth), Bank Indonesia maintained its key BI rate at 7.50 percent, the overnight deposit facility at 5.50 percent and the lending facility rate at 8.00 percent. In the first quarter of 2015 Indonesia’s economic growth had slowed to a disappointing 4.71 percent (y/y).

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Indonesia’s rupiah continued to weaken on Monday’s trading day (18/05). The Indonesian rupiah had depreciated 0.22 percent to IDR 13,113 per US dollar by 12:08 pm based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index as market participants are waiting for results of the central bank’s Board of Governor’s Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday (19/05). At this meeting Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) will discuss and determine its stance on the country’s interest rate environment. Currently, the key rate (BI rate) is set relatively high at 7.50 percent.

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The Indonesian rupiah is again depreciating. On Tuesday (12/05), the rupiah had depreciated 0.39 percent to IDR 13,206 per US dollar by 11:51 am local Jakarta time based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index. The primary reason for this weak performance today is US dollar demand amid heightened concerns about Greece’s debt situation. Talks between the Greek leftist government and its international partners are heading toward a crucial phase. As a result, the greenback is appreciating against almost all Asian currencies.

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The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) announced on Friday (08/05) that the country’s foreign exchange reserves fell approximately USD $700 million to USD $110.87 billion at the end of April 2015 (from USD $111.55 billion one month earlier). The decline was due to government foreign debt payments as well as central bank efforts to stabilize the rupiah currency amid the current volatile and uncertain (global and domestic) economic context. In April, the rupiah appreciated 0.8 percent against the US dollar.

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Indonesian stocks and the rupiah improved on the last trading day of the week supported by moderately rising indices on Wall Street on Thursday (07/05), which was in stark contrast to heavy selling that occurred one day earlier after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen’s statement that US stock prices may be overvalued. Meanwhile, weak trade data from China could a reason for policymakers to provide more stimulus. Indonesia’s benchmark stock index climbed 0.62 percent to 5,182.21 points on Friday (08/05).

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After seeing the disappointing GDP growth figure of 4.71 percent (y/y) in the first quarter of 2015, investors have become concerned about Indonesia’s economic growth in the remainder of the year. The poor Q1-2015 GDP growth was caused by the country’s weak export performance (due to the sluggish global economy and low commodity prices), Indonesia’s high interest rate environment (curbing people’s purchasing power and business expansion of local companies), and sluggish government spending.

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The movement of Indonesia's benchmark stock index (known as IHSG or Jakarta Composite Index) on today's trading day (20/01) was rather volatile. Investors returned to the market after the fall of the index was limited at the end of last week. However, China's slowing economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2013 (7.7 percent) brought negative market sentiments. Still, foreign investors were net buyers of Indonesian stocks today and in combination with an appreciating rupiah exchange rate, the index rose 0.44 percent to 4,431.57 points.

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Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the Indonesia rupiah exchange rate had depreciated 0.18 percent to IDR 12,113 per US dollar at 14:45 local Jakarta time on Monday (20/01). The most important factor that caused this negative performance was China's slowing economic growth in quarter IV-2013. In the fourth quarter of 2013, China's GDP grew 7.7 percent, down from 7.8 percent in the previous quarter. This slowing growth indicates that China's economic 'recovery' is still fragile (China is among the five most important trade partners of Indonesia).

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On Thursday's trading day (16/01), Indonesia's benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index) fell victim to profit taking after two days of sharp gains (although the index did not came close to its gap at 4,393-4,398 points). The index was also pulled down due to the World Bank's pessimistic forecast for growth of Indonesia's economy as well as today's mixed Asian stock indices. Lastly, the continued Indonesia rupiah exchange rate depreciation contributed to negative market sentiments.

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Despite our concern that Indonesia's benchmark stock index (IHSG or Jakarta Composite Index) would be susceptible to profit taking after the national holiday on Tuesday (14/01) as the IHSG rose signficantly on Monday (13/01), it continued its rise on Wednesday (15/01). The IHSG was supported by positive Asian indices that were influenced by strong US and European stock markets after the release of positive economic data in the USA and Europe. The depreciating rupiah exchange rate, however, limited the IHSG's gain.

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On Wednesday (15/01), Indonesia's rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.37 percent to IDR 12,095 per US dollar at 14:15 local Jakarta time. Global markets are again in anticipation of the Federal Reserve tapering issue after the Fed officials of Philadelphia and Dallas stated that they support an as-soon-as-possible winding down of the US stimulus program after the release of strong US retail data. The tapering will make it very hard for emerging currencies to gain against the US dollar. At 28-29 January, the Federal Reserve will hold its next meeting.

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ICRA Indonesia, an independent credit rating agency and subsidiary of ICRA Ltd. (associate of Moody's Investors Service), publishes a monthly newsletter which provides an update on the financial and economic developments in Indonesia of the last month. In the December 2013 edition, a number of important topics that are monitored include Indonesia's inflation rate, the trade balance, the current account deficit, the IDR rupiah exchange rate, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Below is an excerpt of the newsletter:

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Today, Bank Indonesia kept its benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent at the Board of Governors’ meeting. The lending facility rate and deposit facility rate were maintained at 7.50 percent and 5.75 percent respectively. An assessment of the economy in 2013 and outlook for 2014-2015 indicated that such policy is consistent with ongoing efforts to keep inflation within the target of 4.5±1 percent in 2014 and 4±1 percent in 2015, as well as to help reduce the current account deficit to a sustainable level.

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Indonesian retail sales surged 14 percent in November 2013 from one year earlier (the highest growth rate since July 2013). On a month-to-month basis, Indonesia's retail sales increased 1.5 percent from October 2013. These findings were the result of a survey conducted by the central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia), which surveyed 650 retailers in 10 Indonesian cities. The bank's survey also indicated that Indonesian retailers may increase prices of their products in 2014 in order to compensate for the depreciating rupiah exchange rate.

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As expected, the Jakarta Composite Index (abbreviated IHSG) continued its downward trend amid falling global indices. From the start of Tuesday's trading day (07/01), the IHSG had to face pressures resulting in foreign net selling. Apart from the weakening rupiah exchange rate, negative market sentiments were caused by the Goldman Sachs Group and JP Morgan Chase & Co that both downgraded emerging market economies. This led to a correction on Asian stock markets.

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Domestic sales of motorcycles in Indonesia are expected to have fallen by 20 percent to 550,000 in December 2013 compared to the previous month (688,527). According to the Chairman of the commercial department of the Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association (AISI), Sigit Kumala, this decline is not the result of slowing demand for motorcycles but due to the limited amount of working days amid the Christmas and New Year holidays. This then led to less production and distribution of motorcycles to Indonesian dealers.

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