Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Bank Indonesia (BI/the central bank) is likely to cut its benchmark rate so that it could support the activities of domestic economy, an observer said.

"There is a chance for BI to cut its reference interest rate but the problem is the time whether now or sometime in the future. At present the global economic condition is still in an uncertain period," Mandiri Sekuritas economist Destry Damayanti said here on Tuesdah.

She said that BI at present still continued to intervene in the market, ranging from bond market until the dollar currency market so that the rupiah looked like it was relatively stable.

Destry said that many business players and corporations which still held the US currency which also helped BI in stabilizing the rupiah currency.

The BI board of directors in its meeting recently decided to lower the BI rate by 25 basis points from 6.75 percent to 6.50 percent.

The BI made the decision in line with its conviction that the inflation rate at the end of this year and next year would be below 5 percent. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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