Rupiah Under Pressure as Indonesia Market Outlook Weighs on Sentiment
Jakarta. Rupiah closed weaker against the US dollar on Thursday, sliding despite a softer greenback, as domestic concerns overshadowed relatively limited external pressures.
Bloomberg spot exchange data showed the rupiah fell 33 points, or 0.2%, to Rp 16,755 per dollar. In contrast, the US dollar index slipped 0.27% to 96.18.
The currency had strengthened a day earlier, gaining 46 points to close at Rp 16,722 on Wednesday.
Ibrahim Assuaibi, director at Traze Andalan Futures, said the rupiah’s decline was largely driven by negative domestic sentiment, particularly investor unease over the outlook for Indonesia’s financial markets.
“One of the main factors is market concern following Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s decision to downgrade Indonesian equities to underweight,” Ibrahim wrote in a research note on Thursday.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc has warned that concerns raised by MSCI Inc over Indonesia’s investment eligibility could trigger sizable foreign outflows. In a worst-case scenario, if Indonesia were reclassified from an emerging market to a frontier market, passive funds tracking MSCI indices could offload assets worth up to $7.8 billion.
Additional outflows of around $5.6 billion could also materialize should FTSE Russell review its methodology and reassess Indonesia’s free-float status, Ibrahim said.
“The combination of market pressure and liquidity downgrade risks could force portfolio adjustments by long-only investors, while also encouraging speculative flows from hedge funds,” he added.
Pressure on domestic assets intensified after Indonesian stocks plunged 7.4% on Wednesday, following MSCI’s announcement to delay index changes while awaiting regulators’ resolution of concerns over highly concentrated share ownership at several listed firms.
“Low free float levels in the market have become a key concern for global investors,” Ibrahim said.
From the global front, market sentiment was also clouded by geopolitical tensions, after US President Donald Trump was reported to be considering further military action against Iran. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50%–3.75%, reiterating that future policy moves would remain data-dependent.
Ibrahim noted that the rupiah had weakened by as much as 85 points during Thursday’s session before paring losses into the close. For Friday’s trade, he expects the currency to move sideways with a weakening bias in the range of Rp 16,750 to Rp 16,780 per dollar.
Tags: Keywords:Related Articles
Rupiah Slips to Rp 17,801 as Fed Signals, MSCI Concerns Weigh
Rupiah weakened to Rp 17,801 per US dollar as hawkish Fed signals and MSCI concerns weighed on sentiment.Stronger Dollar Pushes Rupiah Back Into Rp 17,800 Territory
Rupiah fell to Rp 17,848 per dollar as the greenback hit a one-year high on expectations of further Fed tightening.Rupiah Weakens Furher against US Dollar Despite Latest BI Rate Hike
Rupiah weakened to Rp 17,794 per US dollar despite BI's rate hike as investors awaited MSCI's review outcome.Rupiah Slides to Rp 17,858 as Fed Rate Outlook Lifts Dollar
Rupiah fell 0.54% to Rp 17,858 per US dollar as investors favored the greenback after the Fed held rates steady.Rupiah Dips on Fed Jitters, BI Hold Seen This Week
Rupiah weakened to Rp 17,748 per US dollar as investors awaited the Fed's rate decision and signals on future cuts.Rupiah Slips as Markets Await Fed's First Rate Decision Under Warsh
Rupiah weakened to Rp 17,736 per US dollar as investors awaited the Fed's first policy decision under Kevin Warsh.Rupiah Posts Sharpest Gain in Weeks as Middle East Risks Ease
Rupiah strengthened 151 points to Rp 17,708 per US dollar as easing US-Iran tensions boosted market sentiment.Stronger Ringgit, Singapore Dollar Drive Tourist Spending in Batam
Batam sees a surge in Malaysian and Singaporean tourists as stronger currencies boost shopping and SME sales.Rupiah Nears Rp 18,000 as OECD Deficit Warning, Iran Tensions Rattle Markets
Rupiah weakened to Rp 17,988 per dollar as OECD deficit concerns, Iran's Hormuz blockade, and US inflation hit sentiment.Airlines Tighten Seatbelts Amid Rupiah Turbulences
About 70% of an airline operational costs are paid in the greenback, setting a major obstacle amid a weakening rupiah.The Latest
Ayase Ueda Scores Twice in Japan’s 4-0 Win Against Tunisia
Japan’s four goals were the most the Samurai Blue had ever scored in a World Cup game.Jakarta Completes Rasuna Said Revamp, Removes 109 Derelict Pillars
Jakarta has completed the transformation of Rasuna Said, removing 109 abandoned monorail pillars and upgrading public spaces.Curacao Earns First-Ever World Cup Point after Goalless Draw with Ecuador
Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 saves against a relentless Ecuador attack, allowing The Blue Wave to earn a 0-0 draw.Germany Beats Ivory Coast 2-1 to Advance to World Cup Knockout Phase
Four-time champion Germany has come back from disappointing group stage exits in 2018 and 2022.Netherlands Routs Sweden 5-1 to Lead Group F
Sweden coach Graham Potter said the defeat was less about what his team did and more about just how good Netherlands played Saturday.Most Popular
