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Around Asia’s markets: Qualms arise over bonds in Indonesia

Around Asia's markets: Qualms arise over bonds in Indonesia Indonesia's dollar-denominated government bonds are poised to fall and will probably trail their Asian counterparts in 2006, according to the brokerage firm Calyon. A doubling in fuel prices in Indonesia last year and record interest rates will slow economic growth to 3.9 percent in 2006 from 5.4 percent in 2005, said Dilip Parameswaran, head of Asian credit research at the securities arm of Crédit Agricole. Gains in the securities in 2005 went too far given the outlook for the economy, he said. Indonesia has $3.9 billion of dollar-denominated debt. It sold

Around Asias markets: Indonesia turns to bond sales

Around Asias markets: Indonesia turns to bond sales Munandar Arif is selling half his stock holdings and all his investments in bank deposits to buy bonds in Indonesias first debt sale targeted at individuals. Interest rates are falling and Id get less and less when I put my money in bank deposits, said Arif, a project manager for a company that designs Internet banking services in Jakarta. Stocks are a gamble, while these bonds give me peace of mind Ill get a guaranteed high return for at least three years. The government is turning to its wealthier citizens

New energy players rising in Asia

New energy players rising in Asia JAKARTA When Supramu Santosa started in the oil and gas business in Indonesia in 1968, it was dominated by a state-owned company and foreign multinationals. The only job he could get was as a "roughneck," a menial laborer on oil rigs, carrying bags of cement for a meager wage. Three decades later, he owned an oil and gas company. Not many people have heard of Star Energy Group, the company Santosa created in partnership with an Indonesian financial investor in 2003. But its existence is the fruit of an extraordinary personal rise and a

COMMODITIES-Base metals, gold extend losses in Asia

COMMODITIES-Base metals, gold extend losses in Asia Global base metal and gold markets extended their losses on Thursday as big investment funds continued to shy away from the once roaring bull markets as concern mounts about rising interest rates and metal supplies. Analysts said interest rates hikes in the United States and other countries could choke growth and any drop off in metal demand would cap chances of an early recovery in prices. "We have possibly seen the all-time high and it might take some time to get back to the same levels again," said David Thurtell, an analyst with the

Japan’s rising but Asia’s economic gains must wait

Japan's rising but Asia's economic gains must wait Japan's emergence from more than a decade of stagnation could mean greater demand for its neighbors' exports, more Japanese investment in the rest of the region and stronger Asian currencies. But people are not holding their breath and expecting Japan to give a sudden boost to Asian growth. Economists say it could take years for income levels in Japan to rise to levels that will translate into big demand for Asian goods or for Japanese capitalists to invest with vigor in Asia. All it may mean in the near term is some extra investment in