Stock Exchange opens for first time in 2012

Let's trade!: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (center) opens the first day of stock trading in the new year at the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in Jakarta on Monday. Also present at the opening ceremony were (from right to left) IDX president director Ito Warsito, Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo, Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa and Capital Market and Financial Institution Supervisory Agency head Nurhaida. On the first day of 2012, the Jakarta Composite Index slightly declined by 0.02 percent to 3,820.91, from 3,821.99 recorded on the last day of trading in 2011. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on the first day of the new year.

“Today, I announce that the first day of stock trading in 2012 at the [IDX] is officially opened,” he said at the IDX in Jakarta.

Yudhoyono pressed a touch screen that prompted a siren as the sign that the stock market was officially open, and signed a certificate.

In his remarks, the President thanked and congratulated all the IDX board executives for their hard work, as well as to all the market players and stock market regulators.

“Thank you to all the economic players who have helped develop a healthy economy together with the government,” he said.

Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa and Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo were among those present at the ceremony.

On the first day of trading, the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), the main price indicator at the IDX, opened at 3,820.91, a slight decrease of 0.02 percent from 3,821.99 on Dec. 30, the last day of trading in 2011.

The IDX recorded a JCI increase of 3.2 percent in 2011, compared to the year before, making it the world’s best performers amid the debt crisis in the euro zone and recession in the United States.

The IDX's market capitalization grew 8.9 percent to Rp 3,537 trillion (US$389.07 billion) last year, from the Rp 3,703 trillion recorded in 2010. (rcf/mtq)