Indonesia Inflation Seen Falling to Five-Month Low: Week Ahead Email<?Subject=Bloomberg%20news:%20%20Indonesia%20Inflation%20Seen%20Falling%20to%20Five-Month%20Low:%20Week%20Ahead%20&body=%20Indonesia%20Inflation%20Seen%20Falling%20to%20Five-Month%20Low:%20Week%20Ahead%20%0D%0A%0D%0A%20http%3A//www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3Demail_en%26refer=home%26sid%3DaFjtGwrl8Xog>| Print<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFjtGwrl8Xog&refer=home#>| A<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFjtGwrl8Xog&refer=home#> A<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFjtGwrl8Xog&refer=home#> A<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFjtGwrl8Xog&refer=home#>
By Arijit Ghosh and Michael Munoz Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Indonesia's inflation rate probably fell to a five-month low in November as fuel and food prices declined, the Central Statistics Bureau may say today. Consumer prices increased 11.6 percent from a year earlier, after gaining 11.8 percent in October, according to the median forecast<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=IDCPIY%3AIND>of 18 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The statistics agency will announce the data after midday today. Indonesia cut gasoline prices today by 8.3 percent after crude oil plunged 63 percent from a record in July. Declining palm oil and soybean prices have also helped inflation in Asian economies. The central bank will meet on Dec. 4 to decide on its policy rate. "Falling oil prices allowed the government to reduce fuel prices for industry, which helps ease pressure on production costs," said Alexander Sugandi<http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Alexander+Sugandi&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1>, an economist at Standard Chartered Plc in Jakarta. "Sufficient stock of food, particularly rice," also help contain prices. Gains in consumer prices slowed to 0.2 percent in November from the month earlier after rising 0.5 percent in October, according to the Bloomberg survey. The statistics agency may also say today export<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=IDEXPY%3AIND>growth slowed to 16.3 percent in October after a 28.5 percent gain a month earlier, according to the survey. Imports grew 40 percent, according to the survey, from 38.5 percent. Indonesia's key stock index<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=JCI%3AIND>rose 8.3 percent last week, the biggest weekly gain in 15 months. PT Bumi Resources, Asia's No. 1 thermal coal producer, advanced 42 percent last week, the largest gain in five years. Shares Pledged TPG's Indonesian affiliate and PT Bakrie & Brothers, controlled by the family of Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie<http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Aburizal+Bakrie&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1>, will form a venture to control Bumi in a deal that will help Bakrie pay debt raised by pledging shares of Bumi and other units. Northstar Equity Partners, the Indonesian affiliate of U.S. buyout firm TPG, will take over $575 million of Bakrie & Brothers's debt as part of the transaction, Bakrie & Brothers President Director Nalinkant Rathod said on Nov. 28. PT Indosat, Indonesia's second-largest phone company, added 16 percent last week. Qatar Telecom QSC, seeking to control Indosat, agreed to pay its original offer price for more shares in Indosat. Qatar Telecom will offer 7,388 rupiah a share to boost its Indosat stake, Ahmad Fuad Rahmany<http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Ahmad+Fuad+Rahmany&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1>, chairman of the Indonesian regulator, said in an interview on Nov. 28. The rupiah was unchanged at 12,100 against the dollar last week, after dropping 4.3 percent a week earlier. The Indonesian central bank banned the purchase of foreign currencies through so-called structured products to help curb the rupiah's slump. "Buying foreign currencies using the rupiah is not allowed in any amount if the purchase or the potential of that purchase is related to structured products," Bank Indonesia said. The purchase of foreign currencies is only allowed for "non- speculative activities." The following are key events for this week. Consumer price data release Dec. 1 Bank Internasional extraordinary meeting Dec. 1 PT Indotambang Raya ex-dividend Dec. 2 Bank Indonesia monetary policy meeting Dec. 4 PT Indofood Sukses Makmur public expose Dec. 5 PT Inco Indonesia extraordinary meeting Dec. 5 To contact the reporters on this story: Arijit Ghosh in Jakarta at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
