Indonesia ends JPMorgan partnerships on downgrade, Okezone says

[JAKARTA] Indonesia's government terminated all business partnerships with JPMorgan Chase & Co after the US bank downgraded its assessment of Southeast Asia's largest economy following Donald Trump's surprise US election win, according to a report on the Okezone news portal.

The finance ministry ended the partnerships from Jan 1, saying the bank's November research report downgrading Indonesia to underweight was potentially destabilising to the nation's financial system, Okezone reported, citing a letter from Marwanto Harjowiryono, the director general of treasury at the ministry.

JPMorgan downgraded Indonesia by two notches to underweight from overweight in a Nov 13 report as a "tactical response" to the Trump election win. The bank also downgraded Brazil to neutral from overweight, while noting that both countries may provide a "better buying opportunity" later.

JPMorgan's business in Indonesia continues to operate as normal, the bank said in an e-mailed statement on Tuesday. "The impact on our clients is minimal and we continue to work with the Ministry of Finance to resolve the matter," it said.

Suahasil Nazara, the head of fiscal agency at Indonesia's finance ministry, didn't immediately respond to calls to his mobile phone on Tuesday.

Foreign investors sold a net US$2.8 billion of Indonesian stocks and bonds last quarter as investors dumped emerging-market assets following Mr Trump's victory. That drove the rupiah lower, forcing policy makers to intervene to stabilise the currency.

BLOOMBERG