Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Jerome Powell Attends Supreme Court Hearing on Trump Effort to Fire Fed Governor, Calling It Historic 
RBA Raises Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points as Inflation Pressures Persist 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Indonesia’s foreign reserves rose during the month of August; however, this is hardly surprising given that foreign inflows into equities and Indonesian government bonds amounted to USD 10 billion in the same period.
In lieu of this, Bank Indonesia (BI) has been building its foreign reserves, which suggests that the central bank wants to prevent excessive volatility of the rupiah, even when there is a clear push for further appreciation of the unit.
BI will continue to build up its reserves going forward. It is a step to continuously improve the economy’s macro risk profile, amid uncertainties in global financial markets. Alongside the rise in foreign reserves, the growth in short-term external debt has also been under control.
As of June 2016, short-term external debt stands at USD 41.5 billion, a tick lower than where it was in Jun15 at USD 42.9 billion (back in end-14, it stood at USD 45 billion). Meanwhile, foreign reserves-to- short-term external debt ratio is currently at circa 2.7x, way higher than a mere 2x back in mid-2013.
