Batam’s economic growth in Q2 2026 reinforces its position as a major industrial and investment hub in Indonesia, with manufacturing, trade, services and investment at the center.

After achieving a historic surplus in 2025, China's trade has continued to grow this year, thanks largely to heightened overseas demand for semiconductors, computing hardware and other products linked to the artificial intelligence boom.

Recent public complaints from households that have found themselves inadvertently misclassified is not a reason to abandon the data-driven DTSEN system, but an opportunity to refine it to improve targeting effectiveness.

Businesses urge the government to address structural issues that contribute to the high-cost economy, simplify business licensing and adopt more supportive policies for labor-intensive industries.

The inauguration of BYD’s Subang plant comes as Indonesia raises the bar for local EV manufacturing, from 40 percent this year to 60 percent in 2027-2029 and 80 percent in 2030.

The UAE, a critical economic lifeline for Iran, had suspended all financial and economic transactions with the Islamic Republic in August, citing military escalation by Tehran and missile threats.

As Indonesian enterprises reach through Hong Kong into the Greater Bay Area and beyond, and Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong enterprises venturing out to Indonesia and the wider ASEAN, two-way merchandise trade reached close to US$6 billion in 2025, split evenly at approximately US$3 billion each.

Commodity price intelligence provider Argus in August revealed that parts of the upper reaches of the Barito River have become completely unnavigable, with some mining companies in the area already declaring force majeure on shipments.

Fresh economic data brought United States President Donald Trump's Republican Party good and bad news ahead of midterm elections, with the labor market showing strong growth but record-high diesel prices likely to further fuel inflation.

Investment and Downstreaming Minister Rosan Roeslani confirmed that state-owned PT Pupuk Indonesia is exploring a significant investment in a urea fertilizer plant in Vladivostok.

Destry was inaugurated on Sept. 2, alongside newly appointed senior deputy governor Aida S. Budiman and deputy governor Solikin M. Juhro, with all three appointed for five-year terms.

National energy subsidy and compensation expenditures could skyrocket by Rp 300 trillion in the 2026 fiscal year unless the country accelerates its transition to new and renewable energy, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has warned.

Indonesia’s manufacturing sector has slipped back into contraction territory as weaker output and employment offset a modest recovery in new orders, according to S&P Global.

The US and Iran found themselves back on a war footing on Wednesday after the most significant exchange of fire in weeks.

Based on its investment activity report (LKPM), Batam’s investment realization in H1 2026 reached Rp 29.89 trillion (US$1.8 billion), equivalent to 45.3 percent of its full-year target.

Tax revenue in 2027 is projected at around 9.3 percent of GDP. Adding customs and excise raises the ratio to roughly 10.4 percent, slightly above 10.2 percent of GDP in the 2026 outlook.

Indonesia has restored its trade balance to a small surplus in July thanks to surging outbound shipments of crude palm oil and coal.

The consumer price index (CPI) growth rose to 3.19 year-on-year (yoy) in August, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) official Ateng Hartono revealed in a press conference on Tuesday, well within the government’s and Bank Indonesia’s (BI) target range of 2.5 plus/minus 1 percent.  

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa expects Danantara to remit Rp 120 trillion ($6.76 billion) in dividends from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to the state budget this year, marking a change from the initial plan for running the state asset fund.

The government aims to boost bank lending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by raising the credit target from Rp 1.5 quadrillion (US$84.6 billion) to Rp 2 quadrillion in 2027, but doubts remain over whether the move will effectively address structural issues that have hindered lending to the sector.  

The Danantara Housing Expo booked Rp 2 trillion in settled transactions, below an initial target of Rp 6 trillion to Rp 10 trillion, while loan disbursement for subsidized housing fell 15 percent year-on-year amid supply constraints, pointing to ongoing challenges in the government’s 3 Million Homes program.  

Bessent said in an interview ahead of a G20 finance leaders meeting that the current flood of exports from China was unsustainable, even though the US direct trade position with China was "rapidly improving."

Five years after its establishment, the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA) has demonstrated how strong governance, commercial discipline and global partnerships can mobilize long-term capital while supporting Indonesia's sustainable economic development.

Indonesia's current account deficit reached a historic high in the second quarter that, if sustained, would put new pressure on the rupiah’s exchange value.

President Donald Trump said Friday his administration has reached a huge oil deal with Venezuela that gives the United States majority control of 65 billion barrels of proven petroleum reserves.

The event offers prospective homebuyers a range of financing options, including down payments starting at 1 percent, mortgage rates from 2.75 percent per year and loan tenors of up to 30 years.

A race between member countries to attract factories undermines ASEAN ambitions to become a unified economic powerhouse, analysts say.