Indonesia central bank intervenes to defend faltering rupiah

The Indonesian central bank, according to its governor, made a statement on Friday ( Jun 14 ) that it would use monetary policy to stabilize the currency after it hit four-year lows against the dollar.

The ringgit skidded 0.9 per share to 16, 415 per money in day trade, the lowest level since April 2020, before paring some of those costs.

Perry Warjiyo, governor of Bank Indonesia ( BI ), stated to reporters that the central bank had intervened in the foreign exchange market and had employed other methods to stabilize the currency. He did n’t disclose when the bank intervened, but hinted that it had occurred during the day.

Warjiyo claimed that the rupee was” steady” and that the depreciation rate was lower than those of other emerging market economies like the Thai baht and North Korean won.

” We are going to keep putting in the steps to stabilize the rupeah. We have done a bunch, whether through action, attracting international inflows… and all have gone nicely” he said.

In response to a sharp decline in the pound exchange rate, BI in April unexpectedly increased the interest charge.

According to Josua Pardede, Bank Permata scholar, the currency’s recent collapse does not mean it will increase at its next plan review on June 19 to 20, but it does mean it will continue to do so at the next policy review on June 20.

Since mid-2020, the central banks has increased interest rates by 275 basis points in full.

Edi Susianto, head of BI’s economic management, said Friday’s rupiah drop was related to expectations that the US Federal Reserve would increase interest rates for a while and concerns about the approaching government’s fiscal policy.

Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing resources, that President- elect Prabowo Subianto plans to increase Indonesia’s debts- to- GDP ratios to 50 per share of GDP by the end of his term, from under 40 per cent now.

Although the incoming president has repeatedly stated that Indonesia could manage higher public debt ratios in order to finance its development programs, comments that had spooked investors concerned about potential fiscal mismanagement, Prabowo’s spokesperson did not respond to Reuters ‘ request for comment.