Jakarta stocks plunge on regional bourses

17 Aug, 2004

Jakarta shares finished lower on Monday as weaker trading in some regional markets and negative sentiment from soaring oil prices hurt the local bourse.
The Jakarta Composite Index finished 0.53 percent lower at 751.95 points in very thin turnover, estimated at 317.53 billion rupiah ($34.22 million).
"I think the weaker trade was due to negative sentiment from regional markets," said Edwin Sinaga, a trader at Kuo Capital.
"The oil price is certainly a factor. I hope there would be no further increase," he added.
The price of US light sweet crude oil was lingering around its historic high of $46 a barrel on Monday.
Some dealers said trading was thin because many market players were away for an extended holiday as the exchange will be closed on Tuesday for the celebration of Indonesia's independence day.
Among the losers were the world's largest instant-noodle maker, PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk which last week posted a lower first half net profit due to foreign exchange loss. Indofood shares fell 3.57 percent to 675 rupiah.
Indonesia's second largest telecommunication firm, PT Indonesian Satellite Corp Tbk, slipped 0.6 percent to 4,150 rupiah.
The rupiah currency was being quoted at 9,280/9,290 to the dollar late on Monday, weaker compared to morning trade.

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