Asian stocks began the year on a dour note on Thursday as they struggled for traction after a jittery close to 2024, while the US dollar charged higher and investor sentiment stayed cautious ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Amid sluggish performance, the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) and regulators highlighted silver linings and expressed optimism for next year.

Asian shares made a muted start to the week on Monday as high Treasury yields challenged rich Wall Street equity valuations while underpinning the US dollar near multi-month peaks.

The IDX Composite index closed 0.41 percent lower on Friday with analysts remaining confident that the index has the potential to rebound despite the recent pullback.

Indonesia, the world’s top nickel supplier, was reportedly weighing deep production cuts to the metal’s mining quota and is considering lowering the amount of ore mined next year to as low as 150 million tonnes from 227 million tonnes this year.

The industry association has warned that increasing the export levy from currently 7.5 percent to 10 percent next year could make Indonesian CPO less attractive, especially in view of the government’s plan to launch the B40 biodiesel program in January amid stagnant production.

Asian stocks edged up on Tuesday, though moves were subdued in a holiday-curtailed week, while the greenback held near a two-year high helped by elevated US Treasury yields as investors prepared for fewer Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025.

The IDX Composite index rose sharply on Monday, up by 1.61 percent to close at 7,096.44. This marked a strong start to the week as market sentiment improved.

After six consecutive drops, the IDX Composite slightly recovered on Friday, as analysts suggested the market may struggle to surpass key resistance levels in the near term.

Businesses urge the government to take emergency measures to save the ailing national coconut processing industry.

The IDX Composite index fell 1.84 percent on Thursday, marking its sixth straight day of losses. Analysts predict the index performance to remain weak by year-end.

Asian markets sank Thursday and the dollar held gains following a severe sell-off on Wall Street that came after the Federal Reserve halved its rates outlook and boss Jerome Powell warned officials' focus was back on fighting inflation.

IDX Composite index closed lower for the fifth consecutive day, with analysts predicting further pressure on the index amid concerns over weakening rupiah and Bank Indonesia's interest rate decision.

The IDX Composite index slid 1.39 percent to close at 7,157.73 on Tuesday, with broad declines across all sectors as investor sentiment toward the planned VAT increase weighed heavily on the market.

The IDX Composite closed lower by 0.9 percent on Monday. Despite the downturn, analysts remain optimistic.

Asian stock markets were in a wary mood on Monday as surging bond yields challenged equity valuations, particularly for the richly priced tech sector, in a week packed with central bank meetings and major economic data.

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to announce a quarter point cut to its key lending rate on Wednesday despite a recent uptick in inflation, in the central bank's last meeting of Joe Biden's presidency.

Ratings agency Moody's downgraded France's credit rating Saturday to Aa3 with a stable outlook, following months of political crisis and the appointment of centrist Francois Bayrou as prime minister.

The IDX Composite fell by 0.94 percent on Tuesday, as analysts foresee a sideways movement after recent gains despite optimism from United States inflation data.

The energy minister says the government is looking at building an oil storage facility on an island near Singapore, from which the country imports 60 percent of its fuel, to shore up strategic reserves amid declining output.

Asian stocks gained on Thursday, tracking Wall Street's tech-led rally overnight after an as-expected reading of US consumer inflation cemented bets for a Federal Reserve interest-rate cut next week.

The government is planning to impose further curbs on domestic nickel production in a bid to improve global prices and local miners, but has not provided a potential time frame.

The IDX Composite closed up 0.21 percent on Tuesday despite foreign outflows and global economic concerns.

Next year's import quotas for key industrial commodities, including salt and sugar, are to be significantly reduced as part of the Prabowo administration's overarching aim to achieve food self-sufficiency.

China stocks surged and commodities found support on Tuesday on Beijing's new promises of rate cuts and a boost to consumption, while the Australian dollar slid and global stocks were wobbly ahead of a crucial US inflation reading.

The IDX Composite index rose by 0.74 percent on Monday, driven by sectoral gains, strong consumer confidence and the start of window dressing.

Indonesia’s financial market faces a net foreign capital outflow of Rp 5.13 trillion (US$323.4 million) as of early December 2024, the latest report from BI has said.

South Korean stocks fell more than one percent Monday as the country was racked with political uncertainty after President Yoon Suk Yeol averted impeachment following his brief imposition of martial law last week.

Federal Reserve officials appear on track to cut interest rates this month after data showed the US labor market remained strong but continued to cool in November, even as debate emerged over a possible pause to rate cuts in the new year.

The United Nations' world food price index rose in November to its highest level since April 2023, recording its biggest gain in 19 months on the back of surging vegetable oil prices, data showed on Friday.