Indonesian Economy Improving in 2017: Central Bank Chief Says

BI Governor Agus Martowardojo speaks to journalists.

Jakarta, MINA – Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Agus Martowardojo said on Thursday that the nation may see a 5.05 percent growth this year as most of the nation’s economy indicators were improving throughout the year, Xinhua reported..

Agus said the growth this year would be even higher than 4.88 and 5.02 percent recorded in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

The Southeast Asia’s largest economy posted 5.06 percent growth in the third quarter this year, after it recorded equal rate of 5.01 percent in the previous two quarters this year, Agus told a press conference in his office here.

According to Agus, the economy improvements were seen from increasing investments, imports and exports.

The central bank governor said one of the best national economy’s achievements was the trade balance surplus in November that reached 12 billion U.S. dollars, far higher than 8.48 billion dollars in the same period last year.

Agus said the nation also recorded forex reserves at 125.9 billion dollars, which could be capable to cover 8.1 months of the country’s foreign debts.

Positive condition was also seen in the stability of national financial sector as national banks’ Capital Adequacy Rate (CAR) showed sound figure of 23.2 percent with liquidity rate of 22.7 percent as of October, he said.

Thanks to more investment grade ratings awarded by international rating agencies, Agus said that it would significantly help the nation seeing more investment which would eventually bring positive impacts to the nation’s economy in 2018.

Indonesia won a second sovereign rating upgrade this year, with Fitch Ratings raising its assessment to investment grade this month after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Global Ratings lifted the nation out of junk status in May. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency *MINA)