Indonesia's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) in January 2023 was recorded to rise to 51.3, from 50.9 in December 2022.
"The manufacturing sector remains in expansive zone, which shows Indonesia's economic resilience amid global disruption and manufacturing stagnation that occurs in various countries," he noted through a statement, Thursday.
The expansive trend in January 2023 was also observed in few other countries in the ASEAN region, he remarked.
These countries comprise the Philippines, at the level of 53.5, from 53.1 recorded in December 2022, and Thailand, at 54.5, as compared to 52.5 in December 2022.
In contrast, several countries recorded to be in the contractive zone comprised Taiwan, with Manufacturing PMI of 44.3, as compared to 44.6 in December 2022; Malaysia, 46.5, from 47.8 in December 2022; and Vietnam, at 47.4, in comparison with 46.4 recorded in December 2022.
Contraction was also recorded in South Korea, at 48.5, from 48.2 in December 2022, and United States, 46.8, as compared to 46.2 in December 2022.
Kacaribu deemed that new demand and output in Indonesia experienced the swiftest growth within the last three months due to strong domestic demand.
While demand from the export side is still somewhat restrained, the rise in domestic demand is capable of pushing companies to increase input goods' purchasing activities.
As a whole, entrepreneurs' optimism at the start of 2023 rose as compared to the end of last year, as is reflected from the increase in input goods' stock.
"Moreover, input goods' price experienced a decline while supply disruption still occurs," Kacaribu explained.
Despite this, producers continue to anticipate global economic uncertainty and extreme weather deemed to potentially halt distribution flow, he noted.
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Translator: Agatha Olivia V, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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