IDX Expresses Optimism in Economic Growth

The Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) expressed optimism that the companies listed on the IDX would provide positive results as the national economy was predicted to grow by above 5 percent.

“In 2015, more than 75 percent of stock issuers at the IDX booked profits. Indeed, some of them in the commodity sector recorded somewhat significant drop. Meanwhile in 2016, we believe that the economic growth will be above 5 percent,” IDX president director Tito Sulistio said in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. Tito added that the Bank Indonesia (BI) rate cut to 6.75 percent and the potential of capital inflow following tax amnesty policy were among the factors that would support the national economic growth.

“Hopefully, the tax amnesty [policy] will work. Therefore, it is expected that Indonesia will see a capital inflow of about Rp 3,000 trillion (US$220.6 billion) to build infrastructures that are important for the economy. The fund could also be invested in the capital market,” Tito explained.

He promised that he would encourage domestic companies to obtain funds for expansion by, for instance, holding IPOs. Tito added that the IDX would call on state-owned companies to conduct privatization through the IPO mechanism.

Earlier, IDX director of corporation assessment Samsul Hidayat said that a number of regional development banks planned to hold IPO in order to increase their capital and distribute credit to wider consumers. In addition to banks, Samsul revealed that a number of state-owned construction subsidiary companies, such as PT Waskita Beton Precast, mulled to hold an IPO.