[Kabar-indonesia] 17 RI Biz/Econ Reports: Motorcycle Sales Up; Garuda Bailout [+JSX; Rupiah]

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

17 Reports:

- Indonesia July Motorcycles Sales 
  Up 7.8% On Mo To 370,347
- Indonesia Shares End Up 0.6% 
  On Indosat Gains, Rate Cut Hopes
- Indonesian Rupiah Ends Flat, 
  Helped By Tax-Driven Demand
- Indonesia to inject 1 trln rupiah 
  capital for Garuda, 450 bln for 
  Merpati-report
- Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand agree 
  on shared aviation laws
- Indonesia's manufacturing industry 
  expands only 3.07% in H1
- US Dept accuses major Indonesian
  paper firm of dumping
- WSJ: China's Economic Brake May 
  Be Taking Hold [Industrial Output Logs 
  Slower Growth; World Bank Upbeat]
- update: Target of 6-6.5% growth is 
  realistic, minister says
- Owners of small Indonesian banks 
  prefer to sell than seek merger
  [previously sent]
- Indonesia's Semen Gresik's new 
  shareholder to pay local govt 5 mln 
  usd - report
- Stockwatch - Indonesia's Bakrie 
  Telecom higher after H1 results
- Indonesia Unlikely To Impose Tax 
  On Rubber Exports - Min
- UK's Carbon positive to build 
  plantation forests in Indonesia
- Indonesian palm oil product exports 
  to India seen at 4 mln tons in 
  2006 - report
- Indonesia crude palm oil higher on
  demand, olein down
- JP: Multi Bintang to pay interim 
  dividend 
- Joyo Indonesia News Service Annual 
  Appeal 2006 - our eleventh year 

Indonesia July Motorcycles Sales Up 7.8% On Mo To 370,347

JAKARTA, August 15 (Dow Jones)--Sales of new motorcycles in July in
Indonesia rose 7.8% to 370,347 units, from 343,399 in June, car
assemblers' association Gaikindo said Tuesday.

However, during the first seven months of the year, new motorcycle
sales in Indonesia fell 26% on year to 2.18 million units, from 2.93
million units, Gaikindo said.

Gaikindo didn't provide a reason for the decrease in sales for the
seven-month period, but analysts attributed it to an increase in
interest rates and high fuel prices. The central bank's benchmark rate
was 12.25% at end-July 2006, compared with around 8% a year earlier.

Market leader PT Astra International (ASII.JK), 50.09% owned by
Singapore's Jardine Cycle & Carriage Ltd. (C07.SG), said it sold 1.1
million motorcycles in the January to July period, down 27% from 1.5
million units a year ago.

At the end of July 2006, Astra had a 50% share of the domestic
motorcycle market.

------------------------------------

Indonesia Shares End Up On Indosat Gains, Rate Cut Hopes

JAKARTA, August 15 (Dow Jones)--Indonesian shares closed higher
Tuesday, led by Indosat on first-half earnings expectations, with
hopes the central bank will continue to cut interest rates spurring
broader buying, dealers said.

"The market also got a boost from a higher economic growth outlook in
2006," said a trader with Paramitra Securities.

In 2006, the Indonesian government expects the economy to expand 6.2%
on year, compared with 5.6% a year earlier. For the second quarter,
Indonesia posted a 5.22% on-year expansion, outpacing a Dow Jones poll
of five economists, which predicted an average 4.82% on-year growth.

The Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite index ended up 9.015 points, or
0.6%, at 1424.239.

Indosat, the nation's second-largest telecommunication company by
assets and subscribers, jumped 5.8% to IDR4,575 ahead of the company's
announcement of its audited first-half earnings later this month.
Indosat is expected to post increased revenue from its cellular
services.

Gas distributor Gas Negara gained 2.8% to IDR13,000 on expectations
the government will soon disclose its plan to sell a 5.31% stake in
the company. Dealers expect the government will sell the stake in Gas
Negara at premium.

Dealers said expectations the central bank will continue to cut its
benchmark interest rate, currently at 11.75%, of spurred continued
buying in bank stocks. Lower rates are likely to increase lending and
banks' net interest margins.

Bank Mandiri, the nation's largest bank by assets, rose 2.4% to
IDR2,100, and Bank Danamon added 2.1% to IDR4,875.

On the downside, bellwether Telkom, the nation's largest
telecommunication company, fell 0.6% to IDR7,950 on a price correction
after recent gains following a solid first-half earnings report.

Volume was 1.5 billion shares valued at IDR1.85 trillion, compared
with 984 million shares valued at IDR1.37 trillion Monday.

On Wednesday, dealers expect shares to trade higher, but stocks may be
prone to price correction ahead of the long weekend. Indonesian
markets will be closed Thursday, Friday and Monday.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Indonesian Rupiah Ends Flat, Helped By Tax-Driven Demand

JAKARTA, August 15 (Dow Jones)--The Indonesian rupiah closed steady
Tuesday as a tight supply helped the local currency offset dollar
demand from some funds that exited the domestic market, dealers said.

'Companies have been seeking the rupiah since Monday to pay tax
falling due this week,' a dealer at a foreign bank said.

Offshore banks based here - which typically provide custodial services
to foreign investors - bought the dollar, likely on behalf of offshore
hedge funds.

The dollar closed at IDR9,095, little changed from its close Monday at
IDR9,094. The greenback traded between IDR9,090 and IDR9,110 during
the session. It is expected to stick to this trading range Wednesday.

Overall trading volume was thin as most market participants were
reluctant to take fresh positions ahead of a public holiday Thursday
and Monday. In the debt market, some corporate bonds were well bid due
to the country's monetary easing, dealers said. The yields on several
two-year corporate bonds were down to between 13% and 13.50% late
Tuesday from around 14% previously.

-------------------------------------

Indonesia to inject 1 trln rupiah capital 
for Garuda, 450 bln for Merpati-report

JAKARTA, August 15 (XFN-ASIA) - The government plans to inject
additional capital amounting to 1 trln rupiah for PT Garuda Indonesia
and 450 bln rupiah for PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines to help support
their operations, Bisnis Indonesia reported, citing a State
Enterprises Ministry official said.

"We hope that Garuda will become healthier with the planned (capital)
injection," the ministry's secretary Muhammad Said Didu said.

The plan still has to be approved by the lower house of Parliament, he said.

He said the proposed capital injection for Garuda is not part of the
restructuring talks between Garuda and its creditors, which includes
the European Credit Agency (ICA).

Garuda is still in negotiations with the ECA to restructure its 500
mln usd debt to the agency. Garuda's total debt amounts to 794.6 mln
usd.

------------------------------------------------------------

Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand agree on shared aviation laws

KUALA LUMPUR, August 15 (AP): Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have
signed a landmark agreement to harmonize aviation laws to help
regional airlines, a senior official said Tuesday.

"In order to smoothen the operations of the airlines, we have agreed
to harmonize existing aviation laws in four key areas - pilot age,
(aircraft) certification, duty of pilots and usage ofaircraft,"
Malaysia's Civil Aviation Department director-general Kok Soo Chon
told Bernama, the national news agency.

Under the pact, which was signed Monday in Malaysia by civil aviation
authorities of the three countries, pilots' retirement age will be
standardized at 65. Currently, pilots retire at 60 inMalaysia and
Indonesia and 63 in Thailand.

Standardizing pilots' retirement age "will help mitigate growing pilot
shortages," said Peter Harbison, executive chairman of the
Australia-based Center for Asia Pacific Aviation.

Analysts say the move will be of most benefit to Malaysian-based
AirAsia, Southeast Asia's top low-cost carrier, which plans to expand
in Indonesia and Thailand, where it has 49 percent-owned joint
ventures

--------------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia's manufacturing industry expands only 3.07% in H1

JAKARTA, August 15 (Asia Pulse/Antara) - Indonesia's manufacturing
industry grew only by 3.07 per cent year-on-year in the first half of
this year, the central bureau of statistics (BPS) said.

The industry ministry set the annual target at 7.7 per cent for the
country's manufacturing industry this year.

BPS said in the first quarter of this year the manufacturing industry
expanded by 3.09 per cent year-on-year and in the second quarter the
growth rate was only 3.05 per cent.

Chairman of the business association (Apindo) Sofyan Wanandi said
exports instead of domestic sales have boosted the manufacturing
industry.

Price hikes instead of increase in success in marketing have driven
the industry, he added.

Quota set by the United States and the European Union on certain
products of China has helped Indonesia in expanding exports.

--------------------------------------------------------------

US Dept accuses major Indonesian paper firm of dumping

JAKARTA, August 15 (Asia Pulse/Antara) - The U.S. Department of
Commerce has slapped antidumping and antisubsidy surcharges on certain
paper products from Indonesia.

The USDOC said one of the main suppliers of paper from Indonesia has
indulged in dumping and enjoyed subsidies.

The sanction will be effective after the U.S. International Trade
Commission determines whether the alleged dumping and subsidy have
caused injury to the U.S. paper industry.

The USITC is expected to make its decision on Sept. 12, the paper said.

One of the main suppliers PT Tjiwi Kimia has been accused of dumping
and the Indonesian government was charged with providing export
subsidy for the paper company.

If the trade commission finds against Tjiwi Kimia it will be hit with
an antidumping import duty of 118.63 per cent and countervailing duty
of 40.55 per cent.

An Indonesian government official denied the subsidy allegation and
said the government will explain its position to the USITC before 
Sept 12.

----------------------------------------

The Wall Street Journal
Wednesday, August 16, 2006

China's Economic Brake
May Be Taking Hold

Industrial Output
Logs Slower Growth;
World Bank Upbeat

By ANDREW BROWNE and ANDREW BATSON

BEIJING -- China's government said industrial-production growth slowed 
slightly last month, amid tentative signs that Beijing's efforts to cool the economy 
may be taking hold.

Growth in industrial production, which measures the output of everything from 
cars to steel, softened to 16.7% in July from a year earlier, compared with 
19.5% in June.

In addition, World Bank economists in Beijing said they are seeing an impact 
from the measures the central government has taken. These include a rise in 
interest rates, two increases in bank reserve requirements -- the amount of 
money that commercial banks must deposit with the central bank and not lend out -- 
and new taxes to discourage property speculation. The economists said they 
don't believe the Chinese economy is overheating.

"We think some of the measures are starting to show success already," Bert 
Hofman, the World Bank's chief economist for China, told reporters as the 
Washington-based lender presented its quarterly report on China's economy.

Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao, have signaled concern about 
overheating since data showed that the economy expanded by 11.3% in the second 
quarter from a year earlier, its fastest pace in 12 years. Growth remains 
stubbornly high despite a slew of measures to rein in bank credit and curb 
investment in everything from factories to highways and bridges.

The fear is that runaway investment is leading to a glut of goods that could 
eventually destroy profits and saddle banks with bad loans.

Many economists believe that Beijing will be forced to raise interest rates 
again -- perhaps after waiting a few months to see whether indications that 
growth is slowing are just statistical blips or signal a trend. Higher interest 
rates would further discourage borrowing, by raising the cost of loan 
repayments.

Some economists argue that Beijing will have to allow faster appreciation of 
its currency if it wants to choke off the inflows of dollars from exporters 
and speculators that create too much liquidity in China. The central bank buys 
up dollars and releases yuan, which in turn are often lent out by banks that 
have excess cash. A stronger yuan could help to crimp exports by making Chinese 
products more expensive for overseas buyers in dollar terms.

China's yuan fell sharply against the U.S. dollar yesterday, recording its 
biggest one-day change since Beijing revalued the currency by 2.1% in July of 
last year.

The World Bank economists said China's economy isn't displaying any of the 
classic symptoms of overheating, such as rapid inflation, current-account 
deficits or bottlenecks in transporting goods. And their report suggested that 
red-hot investment -- identified as a danger by Mr. Hu and other top leaders -- may 
not be the threat it appears to be. That's because enterprises are funding 
most of the new investment from their own surging profits, rather than from 
loans.

Still, Louis Kuijs, a World Bank senior economist, said there are concerns 
that some of the investments might prove poorly conceived and later become a 
drag on the economy and banking system.

Also, Mr. Kuijs said the government has so far failed to deliver on a pledge 
to make economic growth more balanced, more domestically focused and less 
damaging to the environment. Income inequality and energy use continue to 
increase, and the major drivers of growth remain industry and exports, rather than 
service businesses.

While noting that economic cooling measures may be taking effect, the World 
Bank raised its forecast for China's full-year economic growth to 10.4% from 
9.5%, reflecting the momentum built up by the country's first-half surge. It was 
the third time this year the bank has raised its forecast.

Despite the forecast's increase, some economists are comfortable that 
significant signs of slowing exist. Isaac Meng, an economist with BNP Paribas in 
Beijing, noted a sharp deceleration in growth of auto and steel output as 
companies cut production to battle declines in product prices and profit margins.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce said China's actual foreign direct 
investment in the first seven months of the year fell 1.16% from a year earlier to 
$32.71 billion. In July it was down 5.5% from a year earlier, to $4.28 billion.

JP Morgan economists attributed the investment slowdown partly to 
anticipation of more government tightening measures and a cautious outlook for demand by 
U.S. consumers for Chinese exports.

--J.R. Wu contributed to this article.

--------------------------------------------

Target of 6-6.5% growth is realistic, minister says

JAKARTA, August 15 (Antara): Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati
said Tuesday a 6 to 6.5 percent economic growth target is realistic
because economic conditions are improving.

Indonesia's economy expanded by 5.6 percent last year.

"If the trends are good, it (the target) is realistic. We will see in
the financial note to be delivered by the President," Sri Mulyani was
quoted by Antara news agency.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to deliver a speech,
including a financial note, on the eve of the Independence Day on Aug.
16.

The government has set a 6 to 6.5 percent growth target this year,
with the assumption that the exchange rate will be between Rp 9,000
and 9,500 against the US dollar, inflation at 6 to 8percent, the key
interest rate at 8.5 to 9.5 percent and international oil prices of
$57 to 65 a barrel.

Sri Mulyani expressed optimism the economy would pick up in the second
semester, taking into account several positive signs such as increases
in consumption, exports and investment.

According to Sri, the lower rate by Bank Indonesia will boost
investment. The central bank's key interest rate is now at 11.75
percent, after two cuts.

The economy slowed after the government more than doubled fuel prices
and Bank Indonesia raised its key interest rate six times in 2005,
curbing consumption.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia's BTN unveils details of 1 trln rph bonds

JAKARTA, August 15 (Reuters) - Indonesian lender PT Bank Tabungan
Negara is expected to price its 1 trillion rupiah bonds to yield
between 25 to 125 basis points higher than sovereign bonds with a
similar maturity, one of its underwriters said on Tuesday.

The state-owned home lender said it would use the proceeds from the
10-year bond issue to expand its home financing, which stood at 13.43
trillion rupiah as of June 2006.

"The yield will be determined after book building, maybe around the
end of August. The spread will be above the FR30 (government bonds),
between 0.25 and 1.25 percentage points," I Wayan Gemuh, a director at
PT Mandiri Sekuritas, told reporters.

The FR30, an Indonesian treasury bond that will mature in 2016, was
priced to yield 11.76 percent in Tuesday trade.

Nearly 81 percent of the banks's 16.66 trillion rupiah outstanding
loans are in home financing.

Book building for the bonds will be between Aug. 15-29 and the papers
will be offered in September 19-21.

The bonds will be listed on Indonesia's main bond exchange, The
Surabaya Stock Exchange, on September 27.

Previously, the lender had said it planned to issue paper with
five-year maturity at the end of the first half or the beginning of
the second half of 2006.

PT Mandiri Sekuritas, a subsidiary of Indonesia's largest lender, PT
Bank Mandiri Tbk , and PT Standard Chartered Securities Indonesia will
joinly underwrite the issue.

As of June, the total assets of the bank, which is 100 percent owned
by the government, stood at around 30 trillion rupiah.

The bank, with more than 600 branches and offices, earned a net profit
of 436.7 billion rupiah last year, up from 370.1 billion a year
earlier.

In the first half of 2006, its net profit stood at 160.7 billion. It
did not provide comparative figures for the first half performance.

---------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia's BTN prices 1 trln rupiah bond yield; plans IPO H1 next yr

JAKARTA, August 15 (XFN-ASIA) - PT Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), a state
bank specializing in housing loans, has set the indicative yield of
its 10-year 1 trln rupiah bond issue at 25-125 basis points above the
FR30 treasury bond yield.

The FR30 yield stood at 11.8 pct today.

"The wide spread is in anticipation of further interest rate cuts,"
BTN president Kodradi told reporters at a briefing on the firm's bond
plans.

Kodradi said final price will be determined after the book building
process, set to run from today through to Aug 29.

The bond offer period is scheduled for Sept 19-21, with listing on the
Surabaya Stock Exchange slated for Sept 27.

BTN will use the bond proceeds to support expansion of its loans,
which are targeted to reach a total of 5.7 trln this year, Kodradi
said. In the first half to June, the bank extended 1.3 trln rupiah in
new loans.

PT Mandiri Securities and PT Standard Chartered Securities Indonesia
are the underwriters for the issue.

Meanwhile Kodradi also said the firm is planning to launch an initial
public offering (IPO) in the first half of next year to raise 1.5-2
trln rupiah which will also be used to boost its loans portfolio.

He said the management sent a letter to the State Enterprises Minister
on Aug 8 outlining the bank's IPO plan but it has yet to get a
response.

He gave no further details.

----------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia's Bank Ekspor to offer 500 bln rph bonds

JAKARTA, August 15 (Reuters) - PT Bank Ekspor Indonesia, a government
owned bank, unveiled plans on Tuesday to offer 500 billion rupiah
($55.10 million) worth of bonds to help expand its lending.

The bank, with total assets of 8 trillion rupiah, will offer the bonds
on Sept. 25-27 and list the paper on the country's main bond exchange,
the Surabaya Stock Exchange, on Oct. 3. It made the announcement in a
prospectus carried in newspapers.

The lender, which specialise in providing trade financing, had not set
the coupon rate for the paper, which will consist of three maturities
of between three to five years.

PT Trimegah Securities Tbk and state-owned Danareksa Sekuritas will
underwrite the issue.

The bank booked a net profit of 200.5 billion rupiah last year, up 10
percent compared to a year ago. However, the figure was lower than the
lender's net profit in 2003 of 293.7 billion rupiah.

----------------------------------------------------------

Owners of small Indonesian banks prefer to sell than seek merger

JAKARTA, August 15 (Asia Pulse/Antara) - Owners of small banks that
have not increased their capital to meet the minimum capital limit set
by Bank Indonesia prefer to sell their banks rather than seek mergers
as suggested by the central bank.

This tendency may lead to growing domination of the country's banking
industry by foreign investors, a banking observer warned.

So far this year, three small banks -- Bank Haga, Bank Hagakita and
Bank Indomonex -- have been sold to foreign investors, legislator and
banking observer Dradjad Wibowo noted.

Bank Haga and Bank Hagakita have been acquired by Dutch Rabobank and
Bank Indomonex was sold to State Bank of India (BSE:500112).

Currently, another five to six small banks are up for sale, Wibowo
said, but he refused to give names.

Wibowo said the government and the central bank should encourage
mergers by offering incentives.

Under its program to create efficient banking industry, the central
bank has ruled that a bank is required to have at least Rp80 billion
(US$8.88 million) in capital by the end of 2007 and Rp100 billion by
the end of 2010.

Currently, there are still 20 banks having capital below Rp80 billion.

----------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia's Semen Gresik's new shareholder to pay local govt 5 mln usd - 
report

JAKARTA, August 15 (XFN-ASIA) - The Rajawali Group will pay the West
Sumatra government 5 mln usd in compensation after the group acquired
a 24.9 pct stake in cement maker PT Semen Gresik from Cemex SA, Bisnis
Indonesia reported.

'Every year for five years we will receive 1 mln usd compensation from
the Rajawali Group,' West Sumatra governor Gamawan Fauzi told the
newspaper.

Separately, Daryoto Setyawan, managing director of the Rajawali Group
told XFN-Asia that while the aim was to sign a compensation deal
today, it may be delayed until after the Independence Day holiday that
falls on Thursday this week.

Setyawan also declined to confirm if the agreed amount was 5 mln usd.

'For details of the deal, we will leave it to the governor to disclose,' said.

The provincial government had wanted to acquire Cemex's stake on
behalf of the central government, which had the rights to match any
other bids for the stake.

The central government, however, finally approved the 337 mln usd
stake sale to the Rajawali Group.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Stockwatch - Indonesia's Bakrie Telecom higher after H1 results

JAKARTA, August 15 (XFN-ASIA) - PT Bakrie Telecom, a telecom unit of
Bakrie Brothers, was higher in midmorning in heavy trade after its
first half results showed a turnaround in earnings, dealers said.

The unit yesterday announced that its net profit for the first half
reached 14.39 bln rupiah, reversing a loss the year before of 87.40
bln. Sales more than doubled to 254.13 bln compared to 101.79 bln the
year earlier.

At 11.21 am, Bakrie Telkom was up 5 rupiah at 185 on 176.6 mln shares,
the top traded stock by volume.

The composite index was up 8.389 points at 1,423.613 on volume of
537.56 mln shares valued at 722.24 bln rupiah.

Edwin Sinaga, an analyst with Kuo Capital noted that the earnings
turnaround came amidst rapid growth in the number of new mobile
subscribers. The company has said it is aiming to boost its subscriber
base to 1.3 mln by the end of this year, from 1 mln currently. By
2009, it hopes to have 5 mln users.

One dealer with a brokerage, who refused to be named, said Bakrie
Telecom is still a minor player in the mobile sector when compared to
Telkom's unit, Telkomsel.

'However, the outlook for the overall industry remains bright and so
investors are now beginning to look at second-layer mobile phone
operators like Bakrie Telecom,' he said.

----------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia Unlikely To Impose Tax On Rubber Exports - Min

SINGAPORE, August 15 (Dow Jones)--Indonesia's government is unlikely
to impose an export tax on natural rubber, said a senior government
official Tuesday.

"I don't think there will be a policy to put a tax on the export of
rubber," said Bayu Krishnamurti, Deputy Coordinating Minister for
Economic Affairs, an inter-departmental ministry charged with
monitoring the country's economic policies.

"Why should we?" he said.

Bisnis Indonesia, an Indonesian financial daily, reported Monday on a
rumor that the government might impose a rubber tax after having
decided to lift a value-added tax on primary commodities, given how
high rubber prices are at the moment.

No rubber traders contacted by Dow Jones were aware of any discussions
to impose an export tax on rubber.

Krishnamurti confirmed the government has submitted a proposal to
Parliament to end the imposition of a value-added tax on primary
commodities.

However, he added that a rubber tax would contradict the intent of the
proposed new VAT law.

"The purpose of the VAT law is to promote primary products and make
raw materials for the industry more competitive, and to promote our
industry, (as well as) to give incentives to farmers who could
increase their incomes," Krishnamurti said.

Like all other rubber grades, the price of Indonesian natural rubber
has risen dramatically on strong demand from tiremakers and
glovemakers, and tightness in world supply.

On Tuesday, standard Indonesian rubber was offered around $2.09-$2.14
U.S. cents a kilogram, up almost 60% from a year ago.

-----------------------------------------------------------

UK's Carbon positive to build plantation forests in Indonesia

JAKARTA, August 15 (Asia Pulse/Antara) - British Carbon Positive
Limited plans to build plantation forests in the country with a total
investment of Rp1.2 trillion (US$132 million).

Director General for Forestry Production Hadi Susanto Pasaribu said
the oil and gas company will build 100,000 hectares of plantation
forests in Sohe, West Nusatenggara and another 100,000 hectares in
Dompu, East Nusatenggara.

Pasaribu said the project is expected to be implemented before the end
of this year.

He said the company management has held intensive discussions with the
heads of the regional offices of the forestry ministry.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Indonesian palm oil product exports to India seen at 4 mln tons in 2006 - 
report

JAKARTA, August 15 (XFN-ASIA) - Exports of palm oil products to India
are expected to reach 4 mln tons this year, now that the government
there has cut import duties, the Jakarta Post reported.

The newspaper quoted Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association
executive director Derom Bangun as saying that before the cut in
import duties, the industry had expected to export only 3 mln tons to
India.

Last week, India cut its duty on imports of palm oil to 70 pct from 80
pct and its duty on imports of refined bleached and deodorised palm
oil to 80 pct from 90 pct.

Bangun estimates that with the increase in exports to India, total
palm oil exports this year will increase to 11.3 mln tons from 10.38
tons last year, the Jakarta Post said.

----------------------------------------------------------

Indonesia crude palm oil higher on demand, olein down

JAKARTA, August 15 (Reuters) - Brisk demand kept Indonesia's crude
palm oil prices firm on Tuesday, but cooking oil prices softened in
line with weaknesses in Malaysian crude palm oil futures, traders
said.

Crude palm oil at the state marketing centre's auction in Jakarta
traded at 4,481 rupiah ($0.493) a kg, up from 4,472 rupiah on Monday.

At local auctions in North Sumatra's Medan, the key port for palm oil
exports, crude palm oil traded at 4,480-4,490 rupiah, up from 4,470
last Thursday.

There were no auctions in Medan from last Friday to Monday.

"Buyers are mostly local refiners who need fresh supplies. Also crude
palm oil supplies at local markets are a bit tight as drought has
lowered palm oil output," a trader in Medan said.

Cooking oil in Jakarta, however, fell to 5,135 rupiah, from 5,170 on
Monday, tracking weakening Malaysian futures.

"The Malaysia market is weak today, so trading has been very quiet all
day," a trader in Jakarta said, adding around 300-400 tonnes of
cooking oil changed hands.

On the exports market, sellers offered September shipment at $460-$465
a tonne, free on board Belawan. Buyers bid at $452.5, with no deals
reported.

--------------------------------------

Antara
August 15, 2006

Multi Bintang to pay interim dividend 

JAKARTA: PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk, one of the country's major brewers, 
will distribute an interim dividend of about Rp 36.3 billion, or Rp 1,725 
(about 5.36 U.S cents), per share to its stockholders in September.

"According to a meeting held by the board of directors on Aug. 8, the 
distribution of the dividend will take place on Sept. 20 to all shareholders of 
record on Sept. 6 at the latest," Multi Bintang director Jasper Hamaker said as 
reported Monday by Antara. 

He said that the interim dividend would be paid out of the company's first 
semester net profit, which this year amounted to a total of Rp 36.6 billion, 
down from the Rp 48.4 billion recorded in the first six months of last year. 

The company's total sales rose slightly to Rp 433.7 billion in the 
January-June period from Rp 416.32 billion during the same period in 2005.

-------------------------------------

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