Rupiah Falls to Record Low, Set for Seventh Weekly Loss

2026-05-15 05:32 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

The Indonesian rupiah slid to a fresh record low of near IDR 17,600 per dollar in thin Friday trading, extending losses from the prior session as a firmer U.S.

dollar and rising U.S.

cost pressures reinforced bets that the Fed could keep interest rates higher for longer.

For the week, the rupiah is on track for a seventh straight weekly drop, down roughly 0.5%, amid concerns over declining foreign reserves, fiscal strains, and inflation risks linked to the Iran war, which could lift energy costs despite Indonesia’s mild inflation reading in April.

Caution also grew ahead of Q1 current account data, after figures swung to a deficit in Q4 due to a larger oil trade shortfall.

Still, the currency’s losses were capped by speculation that Bank Indonesia may raise its key interest rate next week to 5% from 4.75%, where it has remained since October.

Earlier this week, the government launched a bond stabilisation fund to support debt markets amid rising yields and persistent foreign outflows.



News Stream
Rupiah Eases Ahead of Key Local Data
The Indonesian rupiah slipped toward IDR 17,950 per U.S. dollar on Monday after briefly firming to around IDR 17,850 in the previous session. The weakness came as the dollar index held near an 18-month high, despite traders scaling back bets on an imminent Federal Reserve rate hike following soft U.S. jobs data. Caution prevailed ahead of key domestic releases this week, including September forex reserves and August retail sales. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s external position remained fragile despite an August trade surplus, with elevated imports and energy costs weighing on the balance amid Middle East uncertainty. Still, fiscal conditions stayed supportive, with the deficit contained through August, providing some support for the rupiah. Local media also said Bank Indonesia could raise its benchmark rate to 6% in the coming months as rising food and energy costs and recent rupiah weakness heighten inflation risks. In September, annual inflation accelerated to 3.28%, a three-month high.
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Rupiah Set for Third Weekly Decline as Dollar Holds Firm
The Indonesian rupiah hovered near IDR 17,900 per U.S. dollar on Friday, struggling to move further away from the IDR 18,000 level reached earlier this week. A persistently strong dollar index continued to weigh on sentiment, with the greenback holding near an 18-month high amid expectations for further Fed tightening as U.S. inflation remains elevated, while Middle East uncertainty adds to broader market risks. Meanwhile, Bank Indonesia Governor Destry Damayanti said recent rupiah pressure reflected global conditions, shifts in capital flows and weaknesses in external-sector fundamentals. Locally, September headline inflation accelerated to a three-month high of 3.28%, driven by persistent food-price pressures partly linked to El Niño effects. For the week, the rupiah is on track to log its third consecutive weekly decline, down around 0.1% so far. Traders now await September foreign-exchange reserves, consumer confidence and August retail sales data next week.
2026-10-02
Rupiah Eases Amid Dollar Strength, Inflation Concerns
Indonesia’s rupiah edged lower, hovering near IDR 17,960 per U.S. dollar on Thursday, the first trading day of October, after briefly touching 17,930 in the prior session. Cautious sentiment reemerged as the dollar index hit an 18-month high and U.S. Treasury yields rose to multi-year peaks, amid concerns that energy-driven inflation could keep policy tighter for longer. Locally, inflation worries deepened after September headline inflation accelerated to 3.28% yoy, a three-month high, due to persistent food-price pressures amid El Niño effects. Elevated crude oil prices added risks for Indonesia, a net oil importer, by raising import costs and fiscal pressure. Still, stronger-than-expected August trade data provided some support even as imports grew much faster than exports. Meanwhile, Bank Indonesia continued to bolster liquidity and safeguard rupiah stability through secondary-market bond purchases and a mix of spot, DNDF and offshore NDF interventions.
2026-10-01