Indonesian GDP growth down 5.05 pct in Q2 amid flagging exports, investment

Source: Xinhua| 2019-08-05 21:39:48|Editor: Shi Yinglun
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JAKARTA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's economic growth edged down 5.05 percent in the second quarter, the weakest in two years, as exports and investment remain weak amid the global uncertainty, the National Statistics Bureau announced here on Monday.

Household consumption, which represents more than half of Indonesia's gross domestic product, accelerated 5.2 percent from April to June compared with 5.0 percent in the first quarter, the data revealed.

Export persistently drifted down in the second quarter as global demand and prices of the commodities, the major exported products from Indonesia, remained subdued, the bureau said in a statement.

Foreign direct investment logged a 9.61-percent growth from April to June after contracting in the first three months, data from the coordinating investment board unveiled.

Rupiah weakened to 14, 267 from 14,180 per U.S. dollar on Monday and the index at the country's stock market ticked down 2.37 percent to 6,190 on the day, according to data from the bourse.

The Indonesian central bank applied loosening policy in July by trimming a 25 basis points of its benchmark interest rate to 5.75 percent after aggressively ratcheted up the rate by 175 basis points to 6 percent from May to November of last year to help shore up rupiah.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has attempted to boost growth to more than five percent by applying tax incentives and investing in infrastructure projects, still the country's reliance on exported commodities has hemmed in the move as global prices and demand remain low.

The Southeast Asia's largest economy is forecast to grow 5.3 percent this year and 5.2 percent to 5.5 percent next year after registering a growth of 5.17 percent last year.

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