Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesia Stock Exchange (BEI) composite share price index closed slightly higher on Thursday on positive domestic and external sentiments, analysts said.

The index rose 4.71 points or 0.09 percent to 5,211.82 points with index of 45 mots liquid stocks up 0.06percent to 898.001 points.

Market players continued to buy shares with positive domestic and global sentiments, chief researcher of Woori Korindo Securities Indonesia, Reza Priyambada, said.

Reza said an increase in Indonesias foreign exchange reserves indicated that the countrys economic fundamental is still good amid the global economic slowdown.

Bank Indonesia reported that the countrys foreign exchange reserves rose US$800 million to US$111.9 billion in December, 2014 from US$111.1 billion in the previous month.

In addition, the governments plan to cut dividend to be paid by state companies to the state budget by 10 percentage points to 20 percent had positive impact that would help boost expansion of state companies, he said.

Meanwhile, the majority of global markets recorded gain encouraging investors in the country to buy more shares.

However, the rise in the BEI index would be limited as some foreign investors still chose to release their portfolio investment on the domestic market resulting in a foreign net sell of Rp135.524 billion on Thursday.

Trade on Thursday was marked with 269,781 transactions and 6.91 billion shares worth Rp5.36 trillion changing hands and 105 share remaining flat.

Regional markets such as Hang Seng, Nikkei and Straits Times recorded increases in indices.
(Uu.H-ASG/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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