Daily Business Briefing - Oct. 17

By
Desk Editor Insider
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JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) – Good morning; here we provide several pieces of important news that might help your business decisions today:

Indonesian retail rose 3.7% in 1H
Indonesia’s retail industry growth stood at 3.7 percent as of the end of the first half of 2017, said the Indonesia Retail Business Association (Aprindo) chairman Roy Nicholas Mandey. He predicts that the full-year figure will hit 7.5 to 8 percent. It’s lower than the first half of 2016 that grew 9 percent. Roy said that lower growth was caused by several factors, including stagnating commodity prices, middle-wage segment and a shift in spending patterns. Consumer spending pattern has shifted from large baskets to small ones as delivery order services grow. He said that people rarely go to stores anymore. Instead, they shop online or use online transportation service. Data shows that online shop transactions make up 1.4 percent of total offline payments in retail industry last year, according to Roy. He added that out of 97.3 internet users, only 8.7 of them make online transactions.

Niger Invites Wijaya Karya Build Infrastructure
The government of the Republic of Niger is exploring cooperation with state-owned construction company PT Wijaya Karya Tbk (IDX: WIKA) to build infrastructure in that country. In its press release on Monday (16/10), WIKA said that the talk on cooperation was done during the visit of Nigers President Mahamadou Issoufou with his ministers and leaders of Niger government institutions at Wika Building. Niger is a landlocked country in the west part of Africa bordering Nigeria and Benin in the south, Mali in the west, Algeria and Libya in the north and Chad in the east. According to data, WIKA’s projects abroad besides in Algeria are found in Libya, United Arab Emirates, Papua New Guinea, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, the Philippines, Timor Leste and others.

Jakarta Tollroad Development will develop Rp41.17 Trillion Toll Road
Regional firm PT Jakarta Tollroad Development will develop 6 sections elevated toll road with total length 69.7 kilometres with investment up to Rp41.17 trillion. This elevated toll road will be developed in three phase, with the first phase will requireRp20 trillion investment and total length 29.6 kilometres. PT Jakarta Tollroad Development is joint venture between PT Jaya Real Property Tbk (with 28.85 percent stake ownership), PT Pembangunan Jaya Ancol Tbk (stake owned 25.15 percent), PT Jaya Konstruksi Manggala Pratama (stake ownership 20.5 percent), PT Pembangunan Jaya (take owned 18.27 percent) and PT Jakarta Propertindo (stake owned 3.18 percent).
Indonesia External Debt Reach US$340.5 billion on August
This figure grew 4.7 percent on annual basis. Based on the group of borrowers, private sector external debt stood at US$165.6 billion (48.6 percent of total external debt) or grew 0.1 percent on annual basis. Meanwhile, public sector (government and central bank) external debt amounted to US$174.9 billion (51.4 percent of external debt) or grew 9.5 percent on annual basis. Private external debt position at the end of August 2017 was mainly concentrated in the financial, manufacturing.
Central Bank Issue Regulation on Local Currency Settlement
Regulation, PBI No.19/11/PBI/2017 focuses on central banks and its partner bank’s authority to conduct certain financial transaction under LCS system, known as Appointed Cross Currency Dealer (Bank ACCD). Regarding to this, Indonesia importers that import goods from Malaysia or Thailand could use MYR or THB through selected ACCD’s bank. Also, Indonesia exporter can be paid using Indonesia rupiah, Thailand Baath, Malaysia ringgit.
BKPM Offers US$2.9 Billion tourism Project
Coordinating Investment Board offer three priority destination including Toba Lake, Borobudur and Tanjung Kelayang with investment reach US$2.9 billion to investors during Regional Investment Forum (RIF) in Padang yesterday. These projects is already mature and equipped with adequate regional government regulation.
Jasa Marga Issue Rp1.5 Trillion Bond
PT Jasa Marga Tbk (IDX: JSMR) through its subsidiary company PT Marga Lingkar Jakarta issue first phase of project bond amounted Rp1,5 trillion. The underlying asset is sections in North outer ring Jakarta (JORR) W2 or Kebon Jeruk-Ulujami, that has been operating since last 2014. This Jasa Marga Bonds got IdAAAsf (Triple A structured finance ) rating from local PT Pemeringkat Efek lndonesia (Pefindo).

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