Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta composite index closed slightly higher on Friday with foreign investors returning to the domestic market, analysts said.

The index of the Indonesian Stock Exchange rose 4.83 points or 0.09 percent to 5,216.66 points with index of 45 most liquid stocks up 0.09 percent to 898.82.

Chief researcher of Woori Korindo Securities Indonesia Reza Priyambada said foreign capital entered the market again pushing up the index.

"The return of foreign investors indicated that the countrys economic fundamental is positive. In previous day foreign investors tended to sell shares," Reza said.

Trade on Friday was marked with foreign net buy of Rp895.105 billion, he said.

He said the market players also are still waiting for Bank Indonesia to announce its decision on its benchmark interest rate next week.

There were 239,363 transactions in Friday trade at the BEI with 7.50 billion shares valued at Rp5.92 trillion changing hands.

Gainers outnumbered decliners by 150 to 137 shares with 125 shares remaining unchanged.

Regional markets such as Hang Seng and Nikkei recorded an increase in index but Straits Times posted a decline.

Meanwhile, the national currency rupiah gained against the US dollar trading at the level of 12,628 per dollar from earlier level of 12,665.

Chief researcher of Monex Investindo Futures Ariston Tjendra said apart from the decision of the US central bank not to raise its interest rate in the near future, the monetary stimulus announced by China drew the attention of the market players.

"The stimulus issue gave positive sentiments for the currencies of emerging markets including rupiah," Ariston said.

Financial market analyst from Bank Himpunan Saudara Rully Nova said the increase in the countrys foreign exchange reserves also contributed to the rupiah gain.

Bank Indonesia said earlier the countrys foreign exchange reserves rose to US$111.9 billion by the end of last December from US$111.1 billion a month earlier.
(Uu.H-ASG/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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