Jakarta shares slip

Indonesian shares slipped 0.5 percent on Friday, dragged down by flagging Asian markets and falling US stocks, dealers said. The Jakarta Composite Index shed 11.71 points to 2,245.34 on volume of 2.65 billion shares worth 4.35 trillion rupiah (482.85 million dollars).
"Bargain buying in plantation-related stocks lifted the main index from (an intra-day) low," a trader told Dow Jones Newswires. Heavy selling pressure in banks and telecom stocks meant overall market sentiment was still cautious, the dealer said.
Banking giant Bank Rakyat slumped 6.3 percent to 6,000 rupiah and Bank Central Asia shed 3.3 percent to 2,950 on profit taking. Palm oil producer Astra Agro bucked the trend, surging 7.7 percent to 21,750 rupiah.