Analyst Purwoko Sartono said improved US data on unemployment allowance hitting the lowest since 2006, served as a positive sentiment to the market.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta composite share price index closed slightly higher on Friday amid market players awaiting the final decision of the Fed on quantitative easing.

The index of the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) rose 18.93 points or 0.43 percent to the level of 4,375.54 points with the index of 45 most liquid stocks rising 0.29 percent to 736.71 points.

Panin Sekuritas` analyst Purwoko Sartono said improved US data on unemployment allowance hitting the lowest since 2006, served as a positive sentiment to the market.

Friday`s trading recorded 170,108 transactions with 3.784 billion shares worth Rp4.683 trillion changing hands.

Gainers outnumbered decliners by 140 to 123 with 105 shares unchanged.

Regional markets such as Hang Seng recorded a 0.17 percent fall in index to 22,915.28 points with Nikkei-225 index up 0.12 percent to 14,404.67 points and that of Straits Times gaining 0.01 percent to 3,121.39 points.

Meanwhile the country`s currency rupiah rose in value against the US dollar trading at the level of 11,232 per dollar from 11,350 in Thursday`s close.

The decision of the central bank on Thursday raising its benchmark interest rate from 7 to 7.25 percent still has its positive impact on rupiah, Monex Investindo Futures` analyst Zulfirman Basir said.

Zulfirman said the trend is expected to lead to rupiah stability at an ideal level but some investors are still worried by possible cut of monetary stimulus by the US central bank.

Speculation over the final decision of the Fed still keeps the market nervous, he said.

Financial market observer Ruly Nova of Bank Himpunan Saudara said positive signal came from China with economic data improving beyond expectation.

"China`s economic revival is expected to signal recovery in Indonesia`s export and return of foreign investment to the country," Ruly said. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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