Indonesia Q2 FDI growth slowest in 1½ years

INCOMING foreign direct investment (FDI) to Indonesia grew 14.2 per cent on a yearly basis in rupiah terms in the April-June quarter, the investment ministry said, the slowest growth pace in one and a half years.

FDI was worth 186.3 trillion rupiah (S$16.48 billion) in the second quarter. The data excludes investment in the banking and oil and gas sectors.

Indonesia has seen FDI rise sharply as the resource-rich country attracts investment in the manufacturing of stainless steel and battery materials, after it banned exports of nickel ore in 2020.

However, authorities have warned foreign investment might slow as investors opt for a wait-and-see approach ahead of general elections in February 2024.

FDI growth in the April-June period was the slowest since the fourth quarter of 2021. FDI rose 20.2 per cent annually in the previous quarter.

Over US$2.5 billion of investment went to the base metals industry, the biggest recipient of FDI in the second quarter, followed by the transportation, warehouse and telecommunications and the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.

SEE ALSO

Indonesia surprises with large trade surplus; rate cuts expected before year-end

Singapore was the biggest source of FDI, followed by China, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States. REUTERS