Our Financial Columns offer analyses of subjects related to the Indonesian financial markets. Together, these columns - that also have high news value in the current state of the Indonesian economy - intend to provide a clear and detailed picture regarding the structure and performance of these markets.
In the last week of December 2021, Perry Warjiyo, Governor of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia), sent a strong signal to markets that the benchmark interest rate of Indonesia (seven-day reverse repo rate) will not be raised before Q3-2022. This is much later than we initially expected.
Indonesia’s benchmark stock index (Jakarta Composite Index, or IHSG) grew 10.08 percent in full-year 2021, a good performance after a volatile and highly uncertain 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis emerged. At around 6,580 points on the first trading day of 2022, the index remains at near-record high territory (with the record being set recently, in mid-November 2021, at around 6,750 points).
Around a month ago, economists in the West started to become increasingly certain that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) is to announce a plan to taper its asset purchases. Not only that, they also expect the announcement to come soon.
The digital economy of Indonesia has been booming over the past 15 years. Today, life without Internet, smartphones, and apps is unimaginable for most people (both for personal and business reasons).
