Indonesia Bourse May Remain Rangebound On Monday

(RTTNews) - The Indonesia stock market has moved higher in two of three trading days since the end of the five-day losing streak in which it had plummeted more than 540 points or 7.9 percent. The Jakarta Composite Index now sits just beneath the 6,640-point plateau and it may tick lower again on Monday.

The global forecast for the Asian markets is flat to lower, with energy stocks likely to lead the way lower. The European and U.S. markets were mostly lower and the Asian bourses figure to follow that lead.

The JCI finished modestly higher on Friday following gains from the resource stocks, weakness from the telecoms and mixed performances from the financial shares and cement companies.

For the day, the index added 24.89 points or 0.38 percent to finish at 6,638.46 after trading between 6,609.67 and 6,679.40.

Among the actives, Bank CIMB Niaga collected 0.89 percent, while Bank Mandiri improved 1.99 percent, Bank Danamon Indonesia shed 0.40 percent, Bank Negara Indonesia added 2,82 percent, Bank Central Asia dipped 0.28 percent, Bank Rakyat Indonesia plunged 3.26 percent, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison stumbled 1.73 percent, Indocement sank 0.47 percent, Semen Indonesia skyrocketed 5.28 percent, Indofood Sukses Makmur lost 0.64 percent, United Tractors rallied 2.24 percent, Astra International rose 0.43 percent, Energi Mega Persada jumped 2.05 percent, Astra Agro Lestari soared 3.13 percent, Aneka Tambang surged 4.08 percent, Jasa Marga advanced 0.99 percent, Timah accelerated 2.53 percent, Bumi Resources strengthened 1.98 percent and Vale Indonesia and Bank Maybank Indonesia were unchanged.

The lead from Wall Street is weak as the major averages opened higher on Friday but couldn't hold the gains, finishing mixed and little changed.

The Dow dropped 165.32 points or 0.37 percent to finish at 44,546.08, while the NASDAQ added 81.17 points or 0.41 percent to close at 20,026.77 and the S&P 500 dipped 0.44 points or 0.01 percent to end at 6,114.63.

For the week, the NASDAQ surged 2.6 percent, the S&P 500 jumped 1.5 percent and the Dow advanced 0.6 percent.

The choppy trading on Wall Street came as traders expressed some uncertainty about the near-term outlook for the markets following Thursday's rally, which saw the S&P 500 jump near its record highs despite data showing a bigger than expected increase by producer prices.

Traders were also digesting a mixed batch of U.S. economic data, including a Commerce Department report showing retail sales slumped much more than expected in January. A separate report from the Federal Reserve showed industrial production rose by more than expected last month.

Oil prices drifted lower on Friday as supply concerns eased amid hopes of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine and possibility of removal of sanctions on Russia. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures fell $0.55 or 0.77 percent at $70.74 a barrel. WTI futures gained 1.0 percent for the week.

Closer to home, Indonesia will release January numbers for imports, exports and trade balance later today. Imports are expected to climb 9.95 percent on year, down from 11.07 percent in December. Exports are called higher by an annual 6.99 percent, up from 4.78 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is pegged at $1.91 billion, down from $2.24 billion a month earlier.