JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Composite index of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) ended higher 3.23% at 4878 Friday (March 14) with the buying sentiment boosted by Jokowi factor.
Investors aggressively bought local stocks following announcement of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as presidential candidate for the July’s presidential race.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) announced the nomination of Jokowi at 14.58 pm Jakarta time, delivered by PDI-P Chairwoman and patron leader Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Investors focused buying banking stocks. Bank Rakyat Indonesia soared 10.46%, Bank Mandiri jumped 9.14%, Bank Negara Indonesia hiked 6.59%, Bank Central Asia lifted 6.75%, and Bank Tabungan Negara climbed 5.26%.
Other gainers were Astra International (+7.2%), Alam Sutra (+3.25%), Lippo Karawaci (+3.65%), London Sumatra (+3.46%), Telkom (+4.1%), Adhi Karya (+8.35%), Waskita Karya (+7.38%), and Wijaya Karya (+9.2%).
The rupiah also strengthened to Rp11,358 against the US Dollar after traded at Rp11,435 at early morning trade.
Meanwhile Asian shares dropped to a one-month low and the yen pushed higher on Friday, as heightened tension in Ukraine ahead of a weekend referendum sent investors scurrying out of riskier assets, Reuters reported.
Nymex’s crude oil inched up 0.06% to US$98.26 per barrel while gold inched down 0.07% to US$1,371.40 per ounce.