The ongoing development of natural resource-based downstream industries in Indonesia has been a magnet for investors, with a leading international bank pledging to further facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country.

Only 19 percent of bank loans went to small businesses last year, far short of the President’s target. Experts urge the government to simplify regulations and do more to help MSMEs.

Indonesia's February trade balance saw its weakest surplus since last May. 

Allowing natural gas subsidies for industry to lapse could cause fertilizer subsidy spending to increase, state-owned fertilizer holding company PT Pupuk Indonesia told lawmakers on Wednesday, noting that natural gas was key to making fertilizer.

Central bank data show that the share of income used for consumption, also referred to as the propensity to consume, dropped to 73 percent in February from 74.6 percent in the preceding month.

The European Union’s deforestation regulation (EUDR) will make it harder for Indonesian biodiesel to enter the EU market, as well as that of other countries, experts believe.

An economist has suggested lenders issue bonds before interest rates are cut to maximize absorption, but these bonds should have shorter tenors to alleviate the expense of coupons in the next refinancing cycle.

Importers say they will need at least 50,000 tonnes of beef to fulfill the high demand during Idul Fitri and keep prices in check.

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno visited Singapore on Friday to explore potential bilateral cooperation on hosting major concerts and other international events amid pop singer Taylor Swift’s exclusive six-date concert series in the city-state.

As of Friday, the price of mid-quality rice had risen nearly 10 percent year to date (ytd) to Rp 16,000 (US$1.02) per kilogram, according to data from Bank Indonesia (BI).

China still faces structural employment issues and overall pressure on jobs has not eased, the human resources minister said on Saturday, as the slowing economy braces for another record number of college graduates in 2024.

Furniture exports have already been impacted by the European Union's forthcoming deforestation regulation, which is scheduled to go into effect early next year, according to industry insiders.

Not to be outdone by Singapore's hosting of Taylor Swift, which has boosted hotel bookings and other revenue in the city state, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan announced that Indonesia would also organize large concerts to boost tourism.

Indonesia may need to find a different strategy to achieve its aspiration of developing a downstream nickel industry, some experts say, as the electric vehicle (EV) industry looks to alternatives to the metal that the country has in abundance.

The construction work is to be conducted by local and foreign companies and to be paid for after completion from the state budget through the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority.

The initial $2 million grant for new capital would be used for technical assistance in designing and developing smart city infrastructure.

China's export and import growth in the January-February period beat forecasts, suggesting global trade is turning a corner in an encouraging signal for policymakers as they try to shore up a stuttering economic recovery.

Australia unveiled plans to ramp up investment in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, setting aside US$1.3 billion to bolster trade in a region of rising economic might. 

China will target economic growth of around 5 percent this year as it works to transform its development model, curb industrial overcapacity, defuse property sector risks and cut wasteful local government spending, Premier Li Qiang said on Tuesday.

Indonesia saw health care costs rise by 13.6 percent yoy last year, much higher than the 11.5 percent average in Asian countries.

China's annual political conclave kicks off in Beijing on Monday, with officials saying the flagging economy and youth unemployment are of "great concern" as they lay out plans for the coming year.

Manufacturers and vendors defend the practice of reducing package sizes instead of increasing prices to keep products affordable for consumers.  

Financial institutions and regulators have announced groundbreaking and plans for office buildings in Indonesia’s future capital, which the President has vowed to turn into a smart city and digital banking hub.

This upswing, the highest since September 2022, is attributed to escalating costs of rice, red chilies, eggs, poultry, cooking oil and other commodities.

The investment and mining undersecretary told reporters on Thursday that a foreign EV company would break ground on a local factory "in the second or third quarter” this year, but declined to name the company due to ongoing talks.

India overtook Britain in 2022 to become the world's fifth-largest economy and last year surpassed China to become the most populous country. 

The coordinating economic minister hopes a pilot project at a junior high school will reveal any funding or operational issues in preparation for the possible nationwide rollout of free school meals.

Indonesia is gearing up to join World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, from April 13 to Oct. 13, 2025. The agenda serves as the main platform for various countries to reinforce their commitment to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

A staple for most of the country's 270 million people, the price of rice has climbed more than 16 percent since last year

At his weekly briefing on Monday, the tourism minister said Indonesia was losing foreign tourists and foreign exchange earnings from tourism expenditures, in part because of the country's lack of visa exemptions as well as major international events, such as Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.