Agency cites the effect of low harvests at the end of last year among factors contributing to the price rise.

Analysts have observed a similar shift towards bitcoin being held for longer period by investors.

Most Asian equities rallied Tuesday and Brent crude hit a more than seven-year high as optimism over the global recovery returned to trading floors, though concerns about the end of long-running central bank support tempered sentiment.

Asian share markets got off to a cautious start on Monday as the US earnings season loomed large and a slew of Chinese economic data were expected to show the deadening effect of coronavirus restrictions on activity.

Experts are optimistic for the property sector but warn developers and consumers of the rise in value added tax (VAT) and Bank Indonesia's (BI) interest rates.

Asian markets retreated Tuesday as investors grew increasingly concerned about the Federal Reserve's plans to wind back its financial support measures and lift interest rates within months.

Asian markets fluctuated Monday following another negative performance on Wall Street as US data showed fewer new jobs than expected were created last month but that wages saw a strong gain, keeping pressure on the Federal Reserve in its battle against inflation.

Asian shares snapped two days of losses on Friday, climbing as investors waited to see whether US jobs data due later in the day would reinforce the need for faster US interest rate hikes.

The Indonesian coal benchmark price was set at US$158.50 per ton for January, down 0.81 percent from a month earlier, as China started ramping up production.

Asian shares fell on Thursday, extending a global slump after Federal Reserve meeting minutes pointed to a faster-than-expected rise in US interest rates due to concerns about persistent inflation.

US Treasury yields surged on rising bets for a Federal Reserve rate hike by March.

Markets struggled in Asia on Wednesday following a tepid lead from Wall Street, with inflation and expected interest rate hikes returning to the key focus of concerns as Omicron fears fade for now.

The government insists the move is needed to safeguard domestic power supply and says it is "quite comfortable with the risks" it faces.

The US dollar reached its strongest level in more than a month against the Japanese yen on Tuesday, lifted by a jump in Treasury yields overnight as traders bet on an early Federal Reserve interest rate hike despite surging COVID-19 cases.

The new year got off to a mixed start on Monday in holiday-thinned Asian trade, following a healthy run-up at the end of last week, with some cheer provided by data suggesting regional economies improved last month.

Stock markets dipped on Friday in thin trading but were set to see in the New Year with double-digit gains for 2021, while oil prices retreated from $80 a barrel following their biggest annual rise since 2009.

Shares in Hong Kong opened with strong gains thanks to surging Chinese tech stocks on Friday, a day when many Asian bourses -- including Indonesia's -- were closed for public holidays. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the continuing growth of the digital economy helped the local bourse break new ground.

The most spectacular surge was that of Europe's reference gas price, Dutch TTF, which hit 187.78 euros per megawatt hour in December -- 10 times higher compared with the start of the year.

With coronavirus cases hitting record highs, many countries are trying to limit the economic damage by relaxing rules on isolation rather than resorting to lockdowns.

Asian stocks slipped on Wednesday, following a mixed Wall Street session as the region's investors positioned their portfolios for the new year and continued to grapple with increasing global numbers of Omicron coronavirus cases.

The IDXTECHNO subindex of technology companies saw the strongest gains, and a tech company delivered the biggest IPO ever on Indonesia’s bourse.

As the worst fears of the Omicron's impact have subsided, investors have been returning to risk assets.

The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), in collaboration with the Indonesian Biodiversity Conservation Trust Fund (Kehati) Foundation, has launched two indexes based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores to cater to increasing demand for responsible investment products.

US consumer confidence further improved in December, and the White House was resuming talks on a massive social spending and climate change bill.

Equities stabilized and oil prices saw a much-needed gain Tuesday after their latest flop as bargain-buyers moved in, though investors remain fixated on the fast-spreading Omicron variant and moves to contain it over the festive period.

Asian share markets fell and oil prices slid on Monday as surging Omicron cases triggered tighter restrictions in Europe and threatened to drag on the global economy into the new year.

With inflation expected to remain high for some time, the US central bank is likely to raise interest rates soon after it ends its bond-buying program in March, a Federal Reserve board member said Friday.

Asian equities mostly fell Friday, pulling back from the previous day's rally as traders consider central bank plans to combat soaring inflation by ending the era of ultra-cheap cash, while also navigating a COVID-19 infection spike that threatens an already fragile economic recovery.

Most Asian markets rose Thursday and the dollar held gains after the Federal Reserve laid out a more hawkish path by speeding up the taper of its pandemic financial support and indicated a number of interest rate hikes over the coming years.