TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A survey conducted by Bank Indonesia (BI) shows that retail sales increased in August 2018 due to the establishment of Asian Games. BI’s Communications Department Executive Director Agusman Zainal said the real sales index in August 2018 rose to 6.1 percent year-on-year (yoy), compared to July 2018 at 2.9 percent (yoy).
“The increase influenced by Asian Games and Indonesian Independence Day,” said Agusman in a written statement on Monday, October 8.
According to Agusman, based on the commodity group, the most hike of the retail sales was in the non-food commodity.
Agusman presumed the retail sales would further grow in September 2018, judging by the sales real index that was expected to rise 3.7 percent (yoy) and supported by the sales of non-food and fuel commodity.
“The Bank Indonesia (BI) survey also indicates price hikes at the retailer level in the next three months (November 2018),” he explained, adding that the indication is supported by the general price expectation index (IEH) that increased to 144.3 from 140.2 in the previous month.
MUHAMMAD HENDARTYO
