Rupiah closes at Rp18.049 per dollar as RI stocks fall nearly 4%

The rupiah closed down 0.46 percent at Rp18.049 per U.S. dollar on Thursday, again breaching the psychological Rp18.000 level, while Indonesian stocks fell nearly 4 percent. Pressure came from a surge in global energy prices, strong dollar demand and a narrowing trade surplus as oil imports rose. At the same time, DPR passed a rule revision that broadens Bank Indonesia's mandate to include economic growth and opens the central bank to performance reviews by parliament. The move also stirred investor concern over central bank independence. Analysts also pointed to May inflation rising to 3.08 percent and fiscal risks because Indonesia remains a net oil importer.