Bank Indonesia expects rupiah to withstand short-term volatility
The central bank expects the currency to strengthen on the back of optimism of the new government and efforts to make domestic financial assets more attractive

Published Wed, Oct 23, 2024 · 058 PM

INDONESIA expects the rupiah to withstand rising financial market volatility, with the central bank confident that it will strengthen.

The rupiah is likely to remain highly volatile in the short term, said Edi Susianto, executive director of monetary and security asset management at Bank Indonesia.

Pressures are mainly expected to stem from sentiment around US election results, as well as expectations about the Federal Reserve’s policy rate easing.
However, Bank Indonesia is confident that the rupiah will strengthen going forward, buoyed by optimism of the new government and the central bank’s efforts to make domestic financial assets more attractive, Susianto said.

It is also ready to step into the market to curb excessive volatility and ensure a balance of foreign exchange supply and demand, he added.

The rupiah, along with other Asian currencies, has been under pressure throughout October as the market lowered its expectations for an aggressive Fed rate cut, and priced in the possibility of Donald Trump winning the US presidential election.
The currency fell 3 per cent so far this month, forcing Bank Indonesia to leave the key rate unchanged at 6 per cent in its latest meeting, as it turned its focus back to rupiah stability. BLOOMBERG